Electronics in meteorological instrumentation

The review traces the development of electronics as applied to meteorological instrumentation. A brief introduction and history is followed by a short survey of meteorological communications, illustrating the need for the rapid availability of accurate current data in forecasting work. The development of the use of electronics in instrumental methods is then traced with reference to the work done within the British Meteorological Office. A Section on upper-air instrumentation commences with the general design principles of radiosondes, and includes examples of the techniques given. A survey of methods used for upper-wind finding follows, and the Section ends with an account of techniques employed in measuring atmospheric ozone. In a Section on ground instrumentation, the methods used for measuring the basic parameters of cloud height, visibility, surface wind and sunshine are surveyed, and examples of the various techniques for the automatic acquisition and recording of data follow next. The role of electronics in the instrumentation of ocean-data buoys used for obtaining meteorological data is then treated, with examples of systems in use. The various satellite systems developed for meteorological purposes are then surveyed. In the conclusion, an attempt is made to forecast the part to be played by electronics in meteorological instrumentation during the next decade or so.