Michaelson actinograph

From Glossary of Meteorology
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Michelson actinometer[edit | edit source]

A pyrheliometer of the bimetallic type used to measure the intensity of direct solar radiation.

The radiation is measured in terms of the angular deflection of a blackened bimetallic strip that is exposed to the direct solar beams. In its original form the instrument was also responsive to ambient temperature variations. However, modifications have been introduced that eliminate this source of error.

This actinometer was designed by W. A. Michelson (Met.Zeitschr, 1908)


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