Southern Research Station

Title: Mortarboard Psychrometer

Author: Taylor, Dee F.

Date: 1963

Source: Res. Pap. SE-5. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 14 p.

Station ID: RP-SE-005

Description: Research has demonstrated that a high correlation exists between the moisture content of fine fuels and the moisture content of the ambient air. The mortarboard psychrometer was developed by the Southern Forest Fire Laboratory to provide a simple, accurate, yet inexpensive means of obtaining wet - and dry-bulb temperature readings to be used in estimating fine fuel moisture. It is one of the results of a series of studies conducted in conjunction with the development of the National Fire Danger Rating System.

A number of commercially available psychrometers were tested. All instruments produced accurate readings when carefully operated, but each had shortcomings for our planned use. They were either too expensive, too fragile, too hard to operate, or required ventilated shelters. These undesirable features led to the development and testing of the mortarboard psychrometer.

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Citation

Taylor, Dee F.  1963.  Mortarboard Psychrometer.   Res. Pap. SE-5. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 14 p..