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An Azimuthal Method of Measuring Cloud Height with a Searchlight

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Abstract

THE normal method of determining the height of the cloud base at night is to direct a vertical searchlight beam on to the cloud and measure the angle of elevation E of the spot of light from a point at a known horizontal distance L from the searchlight. The height h of the cloud base is then given by h = L tan E. The length L of the base-line is normally about 1,000 ft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Meteorological Office, Dunstable, Beds.

    E. G. BILHAM

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  1. E. G. BILHAM
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BILHAM, E. An Azimuthal Method of Measuring Cloud Height with a Searchlight. Nature 159, 677–678 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1038/159677b0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/159677b0

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