The Effectiveness of the ASOS, MMTS, Gill, and CRS Air Temperature Radiation Shields

Abstract Periodic upgrades of air temperature measurement systems in surface weather station networks cause data discontinuities. From a climatological viewpoint, it is necessary to evaluate the air temperature data discontinuities when air temperature radiation shields are upgraded. This study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of four common air temperature radiation shields including the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), the Maximum–Minimum Temperature System (MMTS), the Gill, and the Cotton Region Shelter (CRS) shields. The solar radiation shielding effectiveness for each shield under typical grass ground surface and different artificial surfaces (black, white, and aluminum) were investigated. The shield effectiveness was evaluated by measuring the interior solar irradiance and the inner surface temperatures of radiation shields. Parabolic curves describe the fraction of solar radiation entering shields, which increased as the solar reflectivity of the underlying surface increase...