Have you ever wondered what a pluviometer? It is a tool that is used to be able to measure the volume of rain that falls in a certain area, in order to estimate the measure of precipitation and water saturation that it has received. Therefore, we invite you to read this article and learn more about it.
Rain gauge
It is among the most useful tools in the world of meteorology and with a very growing relevance. The word used to designate it comes from the word pluvio, which means rain, and the second word is the word meter, which is linked to the way in which the amount of precipitation is measured. For that reason, a pluviometer It is a tool to measure the amount of rain that has fallen.
This rain gauge is an element that is commonly found inserted in all meteorological offices and institutes and is a device that transfers a large amount of data, with which it is possible to have knowledge of both the meteorology and the climatology of a specific area or zone. . The entire amount of liquid that descends from the heavens is measured by this tool. It is fundamental in climatology and meteorology.
What is rain gauge?
This is a tool that is used to be able to calculate the rainfall that falls in a specific area during the period in which that calculation is made. These data on rainfall are collected and analyzed with such precision that they can serve as the basis for a climatological record of an area.
With all the data that has been obtained, precipitation measurements are made by weeks, months, seasons, and year after year, in order to observe the fluctuations in the amount of rain that falls in a specific area in a period of time and with This is achieved by compiling statistics.
Take for example, if an area has average annual rainfall of about 500 mm, it is possible that it has been possible to determine if they have been doing detailed monitoring of the amount of rain that has fallen in it, through the records pluviometric data collected over many years.
In fact, the first reports were made in the 1800s. pluviometer You can record any type of precipitation such as snow, drizzle, sleet, rain or hail. They cannot be used to calculate other aqueous manifestations that depend solely on the condensation of water.
The primary function of a rain gauge is to be able to measure rainfall, in any of its types, as long as it derives from meteorological conditions, in an area in order to determine the necessary data.
Origin of the rain gauge
Although it seems very modern, precipitation measurements have been recorded since 500 BC. The first to measure the amount of rain that fell were the Greeks. Years later, in India, they already had true measurements of rainfall collections. For this purpose, containers and containers were used to collect rainwater and proceed to measure the amount of water that was stored in them.
In these assumptions, the rain measurements were made with the purpose of creating a data record by zones, but they did not have the purpose of measuring the rain to analyze the data and elaborate the profiles of the Weather Elements of the areas, but they were made with the aim of being able to help improve the product of the crops in certain areas.
With each year, the amount of rainfall was measured, in order to have an idea of how much water was available for crops. So the need to be able to measure the amount of rainfall in an area arose from the need to know whether or not the agricultural requirements would be covered.
This has been verified through the religious writings that were found in Palestine, in which it is spoken of the way in which the precipitation of the rains influenced the supply that was essential for the irrigation of the crops. Therefore, at that time, the objective of making these measurements was exclusively related to the supply of drinking water for human consumption and water to irrigate the fields.
It did not occur to anyone at the time that such data would be important for making predictions about the behavior of the Temperature and Humidityas well as climate and weather.
It took more than 15 centuries to pass, so that in 1441 in Korea, the first pluviometer made of bronze and with a standard type slot. This type of rain gauge was used for around 200 years, until in 1639, Benedetto Castelli, who was a disciple of Galileo Galilei, managed to make the first measurements of rainfall in Europe. This new instrument was manual and showed the level of rain that fell for hours.
But in the year 1662, the first rain gauge with balanced containers had already been invented. Thanks to this type of tool, not only was it possible to record information on the amount of precipitation, but it was also possible to record meteorological information such as air temperature and the direction of the wind.
How does the rain gauge work?
The device must be placed in a high place, in order to record the level of rain. In this way, it will not be affected by any kind of obstacle. At the time of measurement, the container begins to fill with rainwater as it precipitates and, at the end, according to the measurement you mark, that will be the volume of precipitation in the area.
With a pilot plant pluviometer we will be able to calculate the amount of rain, hail, snow, drizzle and sleet that has fallen in a specific area. It has a cylinder structure and one of its parts is funnel-shaped to collect more water.
Types of rain gauge
There are several types of pluviometer, among which are:
- Manual: It is the most common class. It is a very simple instrument for measuring the volume of rain that falls in an area. It is made up of a cylindrical-type container with a graduated scale. Thus, the height at which the water that was collected in the container reaches will be the equivalent of the level of precipitation that has fallen and is measured in millimeters.
- Totalizers: This is a higher precision class of rain gauge. Collect the water that precipitates through a funnel. This funnel transfers the water to another container that is graduated. The usual thing is to place it at a certain height from the ground and every 12 hours the record of the water that has fallen is recorded. But in the case of this type of rain gauge, it is not possible to establish the time in which the precipitation has occurred.
- siphon: With this kind of pluviometer volumes and the time that the rain lasted closest to reality can be obtained. It is made up of a rotating drum that is rotating at a fixed speed. It graduates with a feather that floats vertically in its internal part. If not, the pen will make a mark along a horizontal line.
- Double tilting bucket: It is an instrument that collects water through a funnel and transports it to a small container in the shape of double triangles that can be made of metal or plastic. It has a joint at a midpoint that balances the whole. Once the expected precipitation is reached, which is usually 0,2 mm, changes in the equilibrium of the other container will be observed, while the first one begins to count.
The relevance of the rain gauge dates back to ancient Greece. Although in principle its application was intended for the distribution of water for consumption and agriculture, which was absolutely relevant for obtaining food for the population.
Over the years, its relevance has been on the rise, in such a way that today the rain gauge is used in the study of climatology throughout the world and being able to predict changes in Types of weather.
