Weather Glossary

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EBCDIC
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. A standard code used to represent data using 8 bits per character.

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Ebert ion-counter
An ion counter of the aspiration condenser type, used for the measurement of the concentration and mobility of small ions in the atmosphere.

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Eddy velocity
Difference between the instantaneous wind velocity at a point and the mean wind velocity taken over a given time interval. Also called fluctuation velocity.

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Effective snow melt
That part of snow melt that reaches stream channels as runoff.

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Effective terrestrial radiation
The difference between the outgoing infrared terrestrial radiation of the earth's surface and the downcoming infrared counterradiation from the atmosphere.

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Electrical hygrometer
A hygrometer which uses a transducing element whose electrical properties are a function of atmospheric water vapor content. The humidity strip and carbon-film hygrometer element are examples of such a transducer.

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Electrical thermometer
A thermometer which uses a transducing element whose element proper-ties are a function of its thermal state. Common meteorological examples of such thermometers are the resistance thermometer and the thermoelectric thermometer.

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Electrolytic strip
Same as humidity strip.

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Electrometer
An instrument for measuring differences of electric potential.

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Electronic theodolite
See radar theodolite, radio direction-finder.

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Electroscope
A general name for instruments which detect the presence of (but do not necessarily measure) small electrical charges by electrostatic means. Compare to electrometer.

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Emanometer
An instrument for the measurement of the radon content of the atmosphere.

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Eolian
Same as Aeolian.

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Eppley pyrheliometer
A pyrheliometer of the thermoelectric type. Radiation is allowed to fall on two concentric silver rings, the outer covered with magnesium oxide and the inner covered with lamp black. A system of thermocouples (thermopile) is used to measure the temperature difference between the rings. Attachments are provided so that measurements of direct and diffuse solar radiation may be obtained.

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EPROM
Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. Programable read-only memory which can be erased, usually by ultraviolet light, and re-programmed.

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Error
See instrument error, observational error. random error, standard error, systematic error.

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Error distribution
The probability distribution of random errors, typically a normal distribution with a zero mean.

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Evaporation gauge
Same as atmometer.

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Evaporation hook gauge
See hook gauge.

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Evaporation opportunity
The ratio of the actual amount of water evaporated into the atmosphere to the evaporative power. Also called relative evaporation.

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Evaporation pan
A type of atmometer. It is a pan used in the measurement of the evaporation of water into the atmosphere. The NWS Class A pan is a cylindrical container 48 inches in diameter and 10 inches deep.

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Evaporation rate
The volume of liquid water evaporated per unit area in unit time. usually measured as the depth of liquid water lost per unit time from the whole area.

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Evaporative power (or capacity)
A measure of the degree to which the weather or climate of a region is favorable to the process of evaporation. Usually considered to be the rate of evaporation. under existing atmospheric conditions, from a surface of water which is chemically pure and has the temperature of the lowest laver of the atmosphere.

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Evaporimeter
Same as atmometer.

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Evaporograph
Instrument which measures and records the amount of evaporation over time.

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Evapotranspiration (ET)
The combined processes by which water is transferred from the earth's surface to the atmosphere: evaporation of liquid or solid water plus transpiration from plants.

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Evapotranspirometer
An instrument which measures the rate of evapotranspiration. It consists of a vegetation soil tank so designed that all water added to the tank and all water left after evapotranspiration can be measured.

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Extinction
The attenuation of light.