Abstract: A rainfall and precipitation gauge, in which the weight of collected fluid is continuously measured and recorded in positive increments in a collection vessel with a force gauge or load cell, and where the fluid is discharged once the collected fluid has reached a certain weight. In particular, the rainfall and precipitation gauge can include an armature which is magnetically coupled to a magnet and provides resistance to the weight of collected fluid. The weight of the collected fluid, once sufficient or beyond a threshold, can constitute a force in opposition to the magnetic attractive force and cause the collection vessel to pivot from a collection and measurement position to a fluid discharge position.

Abstract: A sensor housing and cosine diffuser are provided for the detection and measurement of ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. The cosine diffuser has a tiered structure to efficiently receive and transmit incident light that passes over and/or through the sensor housing structure. The sensor housing structure can be configured to have an irregular, serrated, castellated, and or repeating prong and/or tooth sequence to form a cutoff comb, through which incident light is attenuated. The attenuation of light in turn reduces measurement error caused when too much or too little incident light, relative to the actual intensity and irradiance of ambient incident light, reaches and transmits through a cosine diffuser due to the variation of the zenith angle of incident light over the course of a day.

Abstract: A sensor housing and cosine diffuser are provided for the detection and measurement of ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. The cosine diffuser has a tiered structure to efficiently receive and transmit incident light that passes over and/or through the sensor housing structure. The sensor housing structure can be configured to have an irregular, serrated, castellated, and or repeating prong and/or tooth sequence to form a cutoff comb, through which incident light is attenuated. The attenuation of light in turn reduces measurement error caused when too much or too little incident light, relative to the actual intensity and irradiance of ambient incident light, reaches and transmits through a cosine diffuser due to the variation of the zenith angle of incident light over the course of a day.

Abstract: A portable, pocket sized instrument for measuring wind speed and indicating wind direction wherein a multiple number of vanes of varying size and spacing are radially and orthogonally fixed to a disc and wherein the force of the wind against the vanes causes the disc to rotate against the restraining torque of a spring. Wind speed is indicated by angular rotation of the disc and wind direction is indicated by the orientation of the instrument at the time of maximum reading. A foldable handle protects the mechanism and increases the convenience of positioning the instrument.

Abstract: An optical device for vertically positioning a sextant to minimize the "tilt error" which occurs in a measured angle of altitude whenever the sextant is not held orthogonal to the horizon. The optical device can be fixed to the sextant and provides in the sextant's viewing area a secondary horizon which will align with the direct horizon only when the sextant is in a vertical orientation. The device is capable of periodic calibration and can be pivoted out of the line of sight when the sextant's user is initially locating the celestial body whose altitude is being measured.

Abstract: In a corner cube radar reflector of the octahedral radar reflector cluster type wherein three planar radar reflecting plates are orthogonally disposed all in planes of non-coincidence to the horizon, an improved holder is disclosed. Typically first and second tapered members are conformed to the apexes of upwardly and downwardly opposed corner cubes with the upper cube in the "catch rain" position. The tapered members are urged one towards another and fastened to a vertical support, which support can either be rigid or alternatively tensive. There results a support for the reflector in which the designed corner cubes are addressed with optimum solid angle disposed to the horizon from which radar interrogation will most probably occur.