PGS – 504
Basic Concepts in Laboratory Technique
Instruments used in Agril. Meterology
Laboratory
and Safety precaution to use them
Submitted by :- Submitted to:
Vala Radhika P. Dr. Akash Mishra
Sabhani khyati H. Department of
soil science,
Department of Agril. Meteorology, AAU, Anand
Maximum Thermometer:
It is a mercury in glass type of thermometer ranging from –35°C
to +55°C, having a mercury constriction which does not allow
mercury to come down when the prevailing temperature falls,
unless mechanical jerk is given.
It records the highest temperature reached since last
observation.
The thermometer is to be set at 0700hrs. LMT by giving jerks.
Minimum thermometer:
It indicates the lowest temperature reached during last 24 hrs.
It is an alcohol / spirit in glass type thermometer ranging from –
40°C to +50°C, having a light narrow index.
Reading is taken from the end of index, which is away from the
bulb.
It is set at 1400 hrs. LMT by tilting the thermometer with the bulb
upwards.
Dry bulb Thermometer:
It is an instantaneous instrument, which gives the current
temperature of the air. It is mercury in glass type thermometer.
It is just like an ordinary mercury thermometer ranging from -35°C
to 55°C, used for calculating the relative humidity, dew point
temperature and vapour pressure.
Wet bulb Thermometer:
It is same as the dry bulb
thermometer except that the
bulb of this thermometer acts
as an evaporating surface.
The bulb is enclosed with
muslin, which is connected
with a thread dipped in
distilled water container.
The water flow is maintained
through the thread and keeps
the bulb of the thermometer
wet.
This temperature is used for
calculating dew point
temperature, relative
humidity and vapour
Soil thermometer:
Soil thermometers are used for recording the
variation of soil temperature with time and depth
in the layers which are affected by diurnal
variation and with which crops are primarily
concerned.
Diurnal range of soil temperature is the highest at
the surface and this range decreases rapidly with
depth and becoming practically negligible at a
depth of 1 ft.
These thermometers are held by the iron stands
in inclined position making 60° angle with soil
surface. Soil thermometers commonly used are
of three depths 5, 10 and 20 cm.
Thermometers should face south direction.
These are placed 45 cm apart in a plot of size
120x180 cm.
Sunshine recorder
Parts of Sunshine recorder:
1. Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder
2. Sunshine cards
3. Sunshine plastic scale
Procedure:
1. Select the appropriate card as per the season.
2. Insert the card in the appropriate groove of the recorder after sunset.
3. Remove the burnt card in the evening after sunset and mark the date of observation on the
reverse of the card.
4. Tabulate the duration of sunshine recorded during each hour of the day.
5. Calculate the bright sunshine duration using the special plastic scale.
Measurement of Sunshine:
The sunshine is measured by means of
Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder.
This consist of a glass sphere of 10 cm
diameter, mounted concentrically in a
section of spherical bowl, the
diameter of which is such that the
sunrays are focused sharply on a card
held in the grooves cut into the bowl.
Three overlapping pairs of grooves are
provided in the bowl to take cards
suitable for different seasons of the
year.
Long curved cards are used in
summer, short curved cards in winter
and straight cards in equinoxes.
Sunshine cards:
o Three types of cards namely, the short curved card (13th October to 28th February), the
long curved card (13th April to 31st August) and straight card for other seasons (during
equinoxes) are used in grooves.
o These cards are subdivided into hourly intervals.
Sunshine scale:
o A sunshine scale measures the burn hour. It is made of celluloid.
o A special plastic scale is provided in which the subdivisions of the hour are marked. There
are 10 parts in scale each part consists of 0.1 hour (6 minutes).
o The parallel sunshine scale is used for straight card and trapezoidal scale is used for long
and short curved cards. The hours marked in the sunshine card refer to
local mean time (LMT) of the station. The sunshine is measured in
the units of bright sunshine hours per day.
SUMMER CARD
EQUINOTIAL CARD
WINTER CARD
Precautions:
1. Avoid excessive vigour in polishing the glass sphere. Avoid cleaning the glass bowl with
any cloth.
2. Remove any deposits of dew, frost, snow or bird droppings immediately.
3. If the trace us not parallel to the central line of the card, carry out levelling and other
adjustments of the recorder.
4. Use appropriate cards for the season.
Tensiometer
Soil water tension is a measurement of the
attraction or adhesion of water to soil particles.
The force by which water held in pore or soil.
Soil tension (suction) can be measured using an
instrument called a tensiometer, which is a
vertical water-filled tube with a porous tip that is
placed in direct contact with the soil.
The tube is sealed as the soil draw water out of
the porous tip a vaccum is created.
This vaccume level is measured by a mechanical
or electronic vaccum gauge connected to the
tube.
Drier soils create greater suction, therefore when
the potential of the soil to hold water is satisfied
(near saturation), the suction approaches zero.
A tensiometer typically measures vaccum in unit
of centibars (cb).
Wind instruments:-
1. Wind vane
2. Anemometer
1) Wind vane:-
This is used for knowing the direction
of
the wind coming.
It is a balanced lever which turns
freely
about a vertical axis. one end of the
lever
is broad and bifurcated and other
end of the
lever is narrow and points to the
direction from
which the wind blows and is known
as a pointer.
2) Anemometer:-
it is used for measuring the velocity
and speed of wind.
It is consists of three or four
hemispherical cups attached to the
ends of the crossed metal arms.
The cross is pivoted at its central
point to vertical spindle passing
through a brass tube attached to the
anemometer box.
When the spindle rotates, its rotation
is transferred to counter(cyclometer)
by means of worm gear.
The height from the center of the
anemometer cups should be 10ft
above ground level.
The cups of anemometer moves in an
anti-clockwise direction.
Unit of reading is km/hr.
Rain gauge:-
This is an instrument used for measuring the
amount of the rainfall.
It has a two types:-
1. Ordinary Rain gauge
2. Self recording Rain gauge
1) Ordianry Rain gauge:-
It consists of four parts:- (A) Funnel(127 mm in
diameter)
(B) Reciever
(Polythene bottle)
(C) Body
(D) Measuring
cylinder(20 mm).
The Funnel is provided with a brass rim, and this
rim should be exactly horizontal and remain at a
height of 30 cm above ground level and size is 20
cm.
Both the collector and the base are made of fibre
glass reinforced polyster.
(2) Self – recording rain gauge:- it is used, when
the amount of rainfall measured in particular
hour and time.
This instrument installed with rim of funnel
placed horizontal at a height exactly 75 cm
above ground level.
Rain water entering the gauge at the top of
cover is led via the funnel to receiver,
consisting of a float chamber and siphon
chamber.
The float is raised as the water level rises in
the receiver and the pen records on a chart
placed on a clock drum and this recording
drum actuated by clockwork.
The pen rises again from the zero line on the
chart.
There is no rain the pen traces the horizontal
line from where it leaves off rising
When the water level in the container rises so
that the float touches the top, the siphon
comes into operation and releases the water.
In a chart, 1mm to 10 mm rainfall amount is
measured with particular time
Pan evaporimeter :-
it is measured amount of water loss by evaporation.
(1)Pan :- it consists of large circular pan with diameter
120.7 cm and depth of 25.5 cm with stilling well is made
of a brass cylinder mounted on a heavy circular base.
The brass rod fixed to the center of the still will is
Stilling well
tapered to get a sharp tip. This tip provides the
reference point up to which water level is kept at
starting and it’s length above the pan is a 19 cm. stilling
will has 3 small openings at the bottom and that is
provides communication of water between pan and well
and helps to equals level in the both.
(2)Wooden stand:- The evaporimeter is placed on a wooden
stand. This is ensures the pan not be in direct contact of
soil and pan.
(3)Mesh cover :- The whole pan is covered with mesh to
avoid that loss of water from the pan due to external
agencies such as birds.
(4)Thermometer :- it is measured water temperature.
(5)Measuring cylinder:- To measure evaporation a
measured volume of water is added with the help of
measuring cylinder so that the original level of water to
Radiation instruments :-
(1)Pyranometer
It is used for measured incoming global(direct + diffused) short wave radiation on the surface
of the earth.
It is measure solar radiation in the spectral range 0.3 to 4.0 μm.
Pyranometer records only radiance and irrradiance .
(2) Albedometer :-
It is also called as a Reflectometer.
Albedometer have a two pyranometer, one is mounted upright and that is measured incoming
short wave radiation , and other is mounted inverted for measured reflected short wave radiation
and hence is called as a albedo.
(3) Pyrgeometer :-
This is an instrument which measure only the outgoing terrestrial radiation i.e. the net
terrestrial long wave or infrared radiation spectrum in the atmosphere, which extends from 4.5 μ
to 100 μ.
(4) Net Radiometer :-
Net radiometer is measure net radiation.
It is used for measure total incoming short wave radiation and outgoing long wave
radiation.
It consists of pyranometer and pyrgeometer.
