Problems in the Use of Inclinometers and Magnetometers to Determine Translation and Orientation of a Turbulence Probe

The Cardington turbulence Probe system consists of a number of instrumented probes clamped to the tether cable of a 650-m3 kite balloon and has been in use for several years. A software method of correcting the data for the effects of transverse oscillations of the tether cable has recently been developed and is described. The original processing algorithm gave incorrect results in northerly winds, and a software modification for use in such conditions is also given. These corrections should be relevant to other systems where packages are mounted on the tether cable of a kite balloon and use a combination of magnetometer and inclinometers for orientation purposes.