The Accuracy of Thermistors in the Measurement of Upper Air Temperatures

Abstract

Preliminary results are presented of laboratory studies of the heat balance in rocketsonde semiconductor thermometers. The so-called dissipation constant of rocketsonde thermistors is a marked function of altitude above about 45 km. At high altitudes also, the temperature rise in the thermistor due to solar radiation is strongly dependent upon the radiation absorbed by the lead wires as well as by the beam proper. Speed of response is found to be dependent upon the convective heat transfer of the leads as well as of the thermistor bead.