Humidity Effects and Sea Salt Contamination of Atmospheric Temperature Sensors

Abstract Microthermal sensors contaminated by salt aerosol droplets are subject to erroneous temperature fluctuations caused by water vapor exchange in response to fluctuations in humidity. The effect was studied by comparing the values of mean-square temperature fluctuations indicated by contaminated and clean sensors. The effect was negligible for ambient relative humidities above 85%, primarily due to the lack of humidity fluctuations. The errors were significantly diminished by frequent washing of the sensors.