Collection: Radiation balance meter

Radiation balance meters are measuring instruments that determine the overall radiation balance. They consist of two opposing pyrradiometers, which are radiation measuring instruments that measure both short- and long-wave radiation (pyranometers). One pyrradiometer measures direct solar and diffuse sky radiation, as well as long-wave atmospheric radiation from the upper hemisphere, while the other measures the reflected short-wave and long-wave radiation from surfaces in the lower hemisphere. Both values ​​are determined separately. The pyrradiometer's own radiation is determined based on the sensor temperature and taken into account when calculating the balance. In a simpler design, direct coupling and the use of only one thermal battery determine the thermoelectric voltage between the upper and lower receiving surfaces, from which the radiation balance can be calculated directly. The measurement covers the spectral range from 0.3 to 100 μm, with some instruments down to 50 μm.