Pyrgeometer
Device which measures infra-red radiation / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A pyrgeometer is a device that measures near-surface infra-red (IR) radiation, approximately from 4.5 μm to 100 μm on the electromagnetic spectrum (thereby excluding solar radiation).
It measures the resistance/voltage changes in a material that is sensitive to the net energy transfer by radiation that occurs between itself and its surroundings (which can be either in or out). By also measuring its own temperature and making some assumptions about the nature of its surroundings it can infer a temperature of the local atmosphere with which it is exchanging radiation.
Since the mean free path of IR radiation in the atmosphere is ~25 meters, this device typically measures IR flux in the nearest 25 meter layer.