Mercury-in-Glass Thermometers for Precise Temperature Measurements Near 0°C

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Osterkamp, T. E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1979
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014350; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000014350

Abstract Experience with the calibration and field use of mercury-in-glass calorimeter thermometers provides an indication of the accuracy attainable and the necessary corrections to obtain that accuracy. Secular changes as large as 57 mK have been observed during the first three years of thermometer use. Light physical tapping is found to reduce the thermometer readings by 3–6 mK. Corrections for variations in the external and internal bulb pressure and care to avoid parallax are necessary to obtain the best accuracy in field measurements. The best accuracy obtainable with these thermometers for temperature measurements near 0°C is approximately ±4 mK for laboratory measurements and ±5 mK for field measurements.