Method and device for detecting hydrometeors

• US 8,448,507 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vaisala Oyj
• Original Assignee: Vaisala Oyj
• Inventors: Salmi, Atte, Elomaa, Lasse
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US13/265,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/170.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 2203/00 Real-time site-specific personalized weather information, e.g. nowcasting

Abstract

A method and apparatus in connection with a hydrometeor measuring device. According to the method, the amount of precipitation is determined with the aid of the number and size of the hydrometeors. The determining of the size of the hydrometeors is altered as a function of the prevailing atmospheric pressure, in such a way that, the higher the atmospheric pressure, the larger a hydrometeor with the same speed will be estimated to be.

Claims

1. A method in connection with a measuring device detecting hydrometeors, in which method

the parameters of a precipitation are determined with the aid of a number and size of the hydrometeors,

wherein

the determining of the size of the hydrometeors is changed as a function of a prevailing atmospheric pressure, in such a way that the higher the atmospheric pressure, the larger a hydrometeor with the same speed will be estimated to be.

2. The method according to claim 1 in connection with a measuring device detecting hydrometeors, in which method

the number and speed of the hydrometeors are measured either optically, acoustically, with the aid of at least one of radio and microwaves, or with the aid of the impulses they cause, in order to determine the size of the hydrometeors, and

an amount of precipitation is determined with the aid of the number and size of the hydrometeors,

wherein

the determining of the size of the hydrometeors is changed as a function of the prevailing atmospheric pressure, in such a way that the higher the atmospheric pressure, the larger a hydrometeor with the same speed will estimated to be.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the atmospheric pressure is determined in real time with the hydrometeor measurement.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the atmospheric pressure is determined by entering an altitude data of the measuring location into the measuring device.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein, in the measurement of the amount of precipitation, a correction coefficient k(p) is used as the correction coefficient as a function of pressure as follows:

k(p)=1-6.8*10⁴*(1013-p)−

2.0*10<sup>−

7</sup>*(1013-p)²,

in which p=the barometric pressure [hPa].

7. The measuring device, according to claim 5, detecting hydrometeors, which device comprises

means for measuring the number and speed of hydrometeors either optically, acoustically, with the aid of at least one of radio and microwaves, or with the aid of the impulses they cause, in order to determine their size, and

means for determining an amount of precipitation with the aid of the number and size of the hydrometeors,

wherein

the device comprises means for altering the determining of the size of the hydrometeors, in such a way that the higher the atmospheric pressure, the larger a hydrometeor with the same speed will be estimated to be.

6. A measuring device detecting hydrometeors, which device comprises

means for determining an amount of precipitation with the aid of a number and size of the hydrometeors,

wherein

the device comprises means for altering the determining of the size of the hydrometeors as a function of a prevailing atmospheric pressure, in such a way that the higher the atmospheric pressure, the larger a hydrometeor with the same speed will be estimated to be.

8. The measuring device according to claim 6, wherein it comprises means for determining an atmospheric pressure in real time with the hydrometeor measurement.

9. The measuring device according to claim 6, wherein it comprises input and memory means, with the aid of which the atmospheric pressure at a measuring location can be entered.