Atmospheric pressure sensors

Atmospheric pressure sensors are meteorological instruments used to measure the atmospheric pressure

Barograph

This traces a graph on paper

Barometer

Various types exist, the most accurate contains a vertical tube of mercury which rises and falls as atmospheric pressure changes. Aneroid barometers (often household instruments) use a sealed pressure chamber.

Surface pressure sensors for Ascension Island

A set of 3 atmospheric pressure instruments (barograph, barometer and Digiquartz pressure sensor) were bought by Director Dr David Cartwright to make measurements at Ascension Island in the South Atlantic in 1986. Dr Cartwright initiated a programme of observations of tides in the Atlantic, using oceanic islands like Ascension and Tristan da Cunha as well as bottom pressure recorders on the sea bed. Atmospheric pressure had to be measured to correct the pressure data, to calculate sea level. The instruments have been donated by Bob Spencer, who worked closely with Dr Cartwright on these measurements.