Stormscope
A Stormscope (Engl. As for "storm indicator" ) is a medicine used in aviation display device that provides pilots during the flight information on the current weather conditions.
functionality
Stormscopes measure the low-frequency electromagnetic wave energy emanating from thunderclouds and known as sferic . In contrast to weather radar , they do not emit a signal themselves. The measured wave energy is caused by violent vertical air movements in the thundercloud, which are the cause of gusts , rain and hail, and the associated electrical charges and discharges . It can also be measured when the discharges do not yet produce any visible flashes. The wave energy is received via a combination of two types of antenna , similar to radio compasses , and the direction angle to the cloud is calculated in a similar way. The device determines the distance to the cloud by comparing the measurements with the electronic signature of a standard thunderstorm. The direction and distance to the aircraft are shown on a radar-like screen.
However, the underlying calculation algorithm is considered imprecise, and the overall reliability of stormscopes is limited. It is therefore recommended to also obtain current weather information from ground stations, which, unlike Stormscopes, can combine measurement data from different stations.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Stormscope Flying in Practice . In: Pilot und Flugzeug 10/2005, p. 24 ( table of contents online (PDF; 6.8 MB) )
- ↑ Bill Kight: Spotting Trouble . In: Aviation Safety . tape 22 , no. January 2 , 2002 ( excerpt from aviationsafetymagazine.com , full text from avweb.com ).