August 8, 2011

Alaskan Researchers use RainWise Rain Gauge in a most unusual way!

A Research Scientist at the University of Alaska recently purchased our rain gauges to use in an unusual experiment: to measure methane gas releasing in fresh water lakes. The gauges were installed upside-down at the bottom of an Arctic lake over sediment that 'burp' methane gases. In the same way that our rain gauge works with water, the mechanism has shown itself capable of measuring a volume of gas. An amount of methane released into the inverted rain gauge enters the collection area, proceeds through an inlet to the tipper mechanism which responds to a known volume of gas, tips and creates a count via momentary closure of a dry reed switch. After responding to the initial gas/tip, the tipper is reloaded and ready for the next known amount. Our rain gauge has been used in many different applications over the past 37 years including storm water run-off, snow melt and maple sap measurement. Methane gas measurement, however, wasn't on our radar....

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