The New Cardington Balloon-Borne Turbulence Probe System

A new instrument package has been developed to measure turbulence at various heights in the boundary layer. The package or “turbulence probe” is designed to be attached to the tethering cable of a balloon. In contrast to previous balloon borne turbulence probes, it uses inclinometers and magnetometers rather than a damped pendulum to determine the probe sensor orientations. Comparisons with a mast mounted sonic anemometer have shown that all three components of turbulence energy can be measured with a good accuracy, even in strong wind conditions. A system of several such probes can also provide accurate corrections for errors introduced by the inevitable translational motions of the tether cable.