Ambient temperature measurements with usual thermistors from constant-level balloons were found to give erratic, quite erroneous data. The cause of error is found to be the differential heating of the thermistor support by solar radiation. This effect is eliminated by using a transparent glass support and a microbead thermistor, thereby reducing the radiation effects below 0.5C in the troposphere and lower stratosphere.
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Fourrier et al. (1970) studied this question.