link.springer.com

Humidity Measurements in Cold and Humid Environments - Boundary-Layer Meteorology

  • ️Laakso, Timo
  • ️Fri Jul 01 2005

Abstract

Recent studies have shed new light on humidity conditions in the polar atmospheric boundary layer, and cast doubt on the reliability of humidity measurements above the frost point humidity. These issues are addressed herein by considering the processes that affect humidity and its measurement in cold climate conditions and by analyzing observations from two sites, at which the relative humidity is frequently above 100% at sub-freezing temperatures, as shown by repeatedly observed in-cloud icing events. Humidity measurements were made at these two sites by the commonly used Vaisala HMP35 probe and HMP233 capacitance probes respectively and simultaneously by the same manufacturer’s HMP243 probe that determines the frost point by a heated capacitance sensor. The results confirm that the relative humidity is frequently well above the frost point, both due to radiative cooling and to the advection of moist air, and that the conventional humidity measurements are unable to detect these events. Furthermore, after such events, the iced sensors show too high a humidity. The false values occur due to ice growth on the probe and cannot be corrected by any algorithm. Our results indicate that these problems, inherent to conventional humidity measurements in cold and humid environments, are avoided by the use of HMP243, which has a heated humidity probe.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • P.S. Anderson (1994) ArticleTitleA Method for Rescaling Humidity Sensors at Temperatures Well below Freezing J. Atmos. Oceanic. Tech. 11 1388–1391

    Google Scholar 

  • P.S. Anderson (1996) ArticleTitleA Reply J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 13 913–914

    Google Scholar 

  • Andreas, E. L., Guest, P. S., Persson, P. O. G., Fairall, C. W., Horst, T. W., Moriz, R. E. Semmer, S. R. (2002). Near-Surface Water Vapor over Polar Sea Ice is Always near Ice Saturation. J. Geophys. Res. 107: doi 10.1029/2000JC000411.

  • Anon: (2002). ATD SHEBA ISFF Flux-PAM Project Report, Appendix A: Laboratory Tests on RH Measurement by Capacitance Sensors at the Frost Point’, National Center for Atmospheric Research, http://www.atd.ucar.edu/rtf/projects/sheba/ rh.lo.T.isff.html.

  • S.J Dery M. Stieglitz (2002) ArticleTitleA Note on Surface Humidity Measurements in the Cold Canadian Environment Boundary-Layer Meteorol. 102 491–497

    Google Scholar 

  • T.D Hewson N.J. Gait (1992) ArticleTitleHoar-Frost Deposition on Roads Meteorol. Mag. 121 1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C King P.S. Anderson (1999) ArticleTitleA Humidity Climatology for Halley, Antarctica based on Frost-Point Hygrometer Measurements Antarctic Sci. 11 100–104

    Google Scholar 

  • R.W. Lindsay (1998) ArticleTitleTemporal Variability of Energy Balance of Thick Arctic Pack ice J. Climate. 11 313–333

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Makkonen (1992) ArticleTitleAnalysis of Rotating Multicylinder Data in Measuring Cloud-Droplet Size and Liquid Water Content J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 9 258–263

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Makkonen (1996) ArticleTitleComments on “A Method for Rescaling Humidity Sensors at Temperatures Well below Freezing” J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 13 911–912

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Makkonen T. Laakso M. Marjaniemi K.J. Finstad (2001) ArticleTitleModelling and Prevention of Ice Accretion on Wind Turbines Wind Eng. 25 3–21

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Makkonen P. Lehtonen L. Helle (2001b) ArticleTitleAnemometry in Icing Conditions J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 18 1457–1469

    Google Scholar 

  • L.M. Miloshevich H. Vomel A. Paukkunen A.J. Heymsfield S.J. Oltmans (2001) ArticleTitleCharacterization and Correction of Relative Humidity Measurements from Vaisala RS80-A Radiosondes at Cold Temperatures J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 18 135–155

    Google Scholar 

  • B Na R.L. Webb (2003) ArticleTitleA Fundamental Understanding of Factors Affecting Frost Nucleation Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer. 46 3797–3808 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXltFKltbk%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T Ranta-aho L. Stormbom (2002) Real Time Measurement Using the Warmed Sensor Head Method. 4th International Symposium on Humidity and Moisture ISHM Taipei 583–588

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Ström R. Busen M. Quante B. Guillemet P.R.A. Brown J. Heintzenberg (1994) ArticleTitlePre-EUCREX Intercomparison of Airborne Humidity Measuring Instruments J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 11 1392–1399

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Tennermann (1999) ArticleTitleThe Chilled Mirror Dew Point Hygrometer as a Measurement Standard Sensors. 16 49–54

    Google Scholar 

  • G.J.W. Visscher (1995) ArticleTitleStandard Psychrometers: A Matter of (P)references Meas. Sci. Tech. 6 1451–1461 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXos12js7Y%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Wang H.L. Cole D.J. Carlson E.R. Miller K. Beierle A. Paukkunen T.K. Laine (2002) ArticleTitleCorrections for Humidity Measurement Errors from the Vaisala RS80 Radiosonde – Application to TOGA COARE Data J. Atmos. Oceanic Tech. 19 981–1002

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J., Carlson, D. J., Parsons, D. B., Hock, T. F., Lauritsen, D., Cole, H. L., Beierle, K. Chamberlain, E. (2003). Performance of Operational Radiosonde Humidity Sensors in Direct Comparison with a Chilled Mirror Dew-point Hygrometer and its Climate Implication. Geophys. Res. Lett. 30: doi:10.1029/2003GL016985.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical Research Centre of Finland, Box 1805, Kemistintie 3, Espoo, 02044, VTT, Finland

    Lasse Makkonen & Timo Laakso

Authors

  1. Lasse Makkonen

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Timo Laakso

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lasse Makkonen.

About this article

Cite this article

Makkonen, L., Laakso, T. Humidity Measurements in Cold and Humid Environments. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 116, 131–147 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-004-7955-y

Download citation

  • Received: 18 November 2004

  • Issue Date: July 2005

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-004-7955-y

Keywords