Lady Amber
R/V Lady Amber

Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform that measure atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.

Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instruments that measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, and research vessels. When mounted on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and lowered to the seafloor to record water properties. These sensors typically sample at 30 Hz and can provide accurate measurements at specific water depths, tailored to the researcher's needs.

Rain gauges are ground-based instruments that directly measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a specified period. Different types of rain gauges, such as tipping buckets and weighing gauges, collect and record data in various ways. Because of their small size and easy setup, rain gauges can be placed in different locations and are often used alongside other precipitation instruments, such as disdrometers, to gather additional details, such as precipitation rate and size distribution.

A thermosalinograph (TSG) is an in situ, shipborne instrument that measures sea surface temperature and conductivity. TSGs are typically mounted near the ship’s seawater intake, where they collect continuous measurements. A TSG uses a conductivity cell and a thermistor cell to measure conductivity and temperature from underway vessels. These measurements can be used to derive salinity and other ocean parameters.

Salinity Snake is a water-based instrument developed by Earth and Space Research (ESR) to measure sea surface salinity and temperature. It consists of two steel spiral rubber hoses mounted on a boom on the starboard side of the research vessel, positioned outside the vessel's wake. The device collects undisturbed water samples at depths of 1 to 2 cm. These samples are then pumped to a thermosalinograph (TSG) to measure conductivity and sea surface temperature, from which salinity is determined.

A pyrgeometer is a ground-based or airborne passive radiation sensor that measures downward and upward longwave radiation in the 4-50 μm spectral range. It uses a thermopile sensor to detect changes in resistance or voltage, which are then used to determine longwave radiation. These measurements can be used to calculate the infrared radiation flux. Pyrgeometers are typically used for climatological, meteorological, and agricultural applications.

A pyranometer is a ground-based or airborne radiation sensor that measures solar irradiance over a hemispherical field of view. It detects the amount of solar energy reaching the surface, capturing both direct and diffuse sunlight. Pyranometers operate across a spectral range of 280-3000 nm. They are most commonly used for solar monitoring, climate research, weather forecasting, agriculture, and energy management.