The road to efficient and cost-effective winter road maintenance / Page 4

Vaisala News magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary / Page 8

Vaisala launches the development of a new reference radiosonde for climate change observations / Page 16

Are you prepared for safety hazards caused by wind shear? / Page 4

Measuring process humidity for optimal product quality / Page 6

Flying into the storm - Greenland Flow Distortion experiment / Page 16

NEWS

VAISA

LA

180/2009

Cover photo: Shutterstock / Editor-in-Chief: Marikka Nevamäki

Publisher: Vaisala Oyj, P.O. Box 26, FI-00421 Helsinki, FINLAND

Phone (int.): + 358 9 894 91 / Telefax: + 358 9 8949 2227

Internet: www.vaisala.com / Layout: Sampo Korkeila

Printed in Finland by: SP-Paino / ISSN 1238-2388

Vaisala in brief

Vaisala is a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement. Building on more than 70 years of experience, Vaisala contributes to a better quality of life by providing a comprehensive range of innovative observation and measurement products and services for meteorology, weather critical operations and controlled environments. Headquartered in Finland, Vaisala employs over 1200 professionals worldwide and is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.

180/2009Contents 3 Reliable partner in turbulent times

4 Are you prepared for safety hazards caused by wind shear?

6 Measuring process humidity for optimal product quality

8 transformerLIFE Centre researchers choose Vaisala sensors

10 Vaisala participates in the biggest meteorological modernization project in the Russian history

11 Forecasting extreme events of rain

12 Humidity measurement in cleanrooms

15 Building automation solutions for the future

16 Flying into the storm

18 AMS President 2008: looking back

20 Road safety taken to a new level in New Zealand

22 Three decades of superior performance

24 Brazil contributes to research in the Antarctic

26 Vaisala’s first Corporate Responsibility report published

27 Briefly noted

Weather plays a significant role in avia-tion safety. Wind shear is one of the most dangerous - and least known - weather phenomena in aviation. Page 4

Polyacrylamide drying at Kemira is a complex process, which demands strictly regulated humidity and temperature condi-tions. Page 6

Greenland is a massive obstacle to the atmospheric flow and the low level air prefers to flow along and around Greenland if possible, rather than attempting to flow over the ice sheet. Page 16

2 180/2009

Kjell Forsén

President’s column

The world economy is in turmoil. Times of economic prosperity have always eventually been followed by a downturn - yet when it happens it always seems to take everyone by surprise. When times are good, too often short-term gains are preferred over long-term planning, and consideration about consequences is not high on the agenda. But when times are tough, insecurity raises its head, and suddenly your ability for long-term planning and sustainable business practices becomes much more transparent. Reliability, conti-nuity and experience reign supreme, providing peace-of-mind and sustain-able operations for the long-term.

Vaisala’s expertise is based on exactly this kind of reliability, conti-nuity and experience. We have been

in business for over 70 years, and will continue to do so through many ups and downs yet to come. Our business is built on innovation, solid profes-sional know-how and technological superiority, combined with a good understanding of our customers’ requirements. This combination has taken us through many hard times with determination and persistence. Our strong heritage, still present in the company culture today, paves the way for continuity and healthy company values. Our customers know that when they buy Vaisala, they will have our support also tomorrow, and the day after.

Reliability alone is not enough. As times change, businesses need to be able grow and capitalize on this change. Our innovative approach to

science and technology has allowed us to adapt to new business fields and needs.

It is our customers’ trust that has allowed us to grow and prosper. Trust is earned through deeds and competence, and if lost, it is extremely hard to regain. I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you for this trust - it is most valuable to us, and we intend to earn it through our actions everyday.

Reliable partner in turbulent times

180/2009 3

Juhani Polvinen / Application Manager / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

Are you prepared for safety hazards caused by wind shear?Weather plays a significant role in aviation safety. Some 30% of all fatal

accidents are caused by or related to weather (ICAO). Wind shear is one of the

most dangerous - and least known - weather phenomena in aviation.

Air traffic controllers usually have no means of directly detecting a low-level wind shear hazard. It may take even the most experienced pilots by surprise, and put them in a situation where the wrong decisions can have disastrous effects. 831 fatalities were recorded to have been caused by wind shear between 1956-1994 (FAA, NTSB Records, & Fujita), or 700 fatalities between 1970-1985 (ICAO). More recent statistics are harder to find, but the phenomenon has not disappeared. Wind shear continues to pose a threat to aviation safety all around the world. According to the

US Aviation Safety Network (ASN), at least two major accidents were caused by wind shear between 1990-2000, resulting in over 90 fatalities. Also in many recent accidents, wind shear has been suspected to be a strong contributing factor - such as in the case of the TANS Airlines crash in Peru (2005), or FedEx cargo plane crash in Japan (2009).

Wind shear is a term referring to rapidly changing winds. It is a small scale meteorological phenomenon, which occurs over a very small distance. It is usually connected to rapid changes in specific weather

conditions - for example, sea and land breeze, jet streams (fast flowing, narrow air currents), weather fronts, showers or thunderstorms. It has also been noted to commonly occur near mountains and coastlines. The most dangerous type of wind shear is caused by convective weather. It is very difficult to forecast due to its local nature.

Wind shear poses the greatest danger to aircraft during takeoff and landing. Airplane pilots generally regard significant wind shear to be a horizontal change in airspeed of 30 knots (15 m/s) for light aircraft, and near 45 knots (22 m/s) for airliners (FAA).

Although wind shear as a meteo-rological phenomenon has been recognized in aviation from the late 60s, it is still not fully understood today. Many airports suffer the effects of wind shear, but airport authorities have little information about the phenomenon and how to address it.

One of the first great eye-openers was the Boeing 727 accident at the JFK Airport in 1975, which led to systematic studies on wind shear. Tetsuya Theodore Fujita pioneered the study of wind shear and its effects. However, it wasn’t until 1997 that ICAO formally established a Low-Level Wind Shear and Turbulence

4 180/2009

Group to promote global awareness about the phenomenon.

Challenge to pilots and aircraft safety

Microbursts and wind shear go hand in hand. Microbursts are small scale intense downdrafts which, on reaching the surface, spread outward in all directions from the downdraft center. This causes the presence of both vertical and horizontal wind shears. Microbursts spread radially on the ground, causing rapid changes in wind direction and speed. They are associated with cumulonimbus clouds, as well as line squalls (severe thunderstorms). A distinction can be made between a wet microburst which consists of precipitation and a dry microburst which consists of virga - that is, precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground. Dry microbursts present a more difficult problem because pilots have no visual clue of their occur-rence, and weather radars cannot see them either.

Wind shear and microbursts are among the most dangerous of all weather-related threats to flying. The unpredictable changes in wind speed and direction make it difficult to control the aircraft, with headwinds, tailwinds and up and down drafts all in quick succession. At worst, it can cause a sudden and dramatic loss in height, and result in a serious accident.

How to address wind shear safety risks?

When wind shear occurs below 2,000 ft altitude, it is called low-level wind shear. Many airports prone to micro-burst and wind shear are still lacking adequate solutions to mitigate this threat.

The first step in addressing safety hazards caused by wind shear is to investigate the likelihood of the occurrence of the phenomenon at the airport in question. If a problem is recognized, different options for solving it need to be investigated in order to find the optimal solution. Each airport is unique. This work is best carried out in cooperation with the airport authorities and an expert organization with deep under-standing of the phenomenon.

Once the existence of low-level wind shear has been verified through studying the weather conditions at the airport, the next step is to specify the optimal wind measurement site locations and measurement mast heights by studying the topology and obstructions in the area. After this, the required system and interfaces can be specified by investigating the existing infrastructure.

A Low-Level Wind Shear Alert System (LLWAS) comprises wind speed and direction sensors sited around the runway, and connected to a data collection package at the site. Wind shear alerts are presented both visually and audibly, and the affected

areas can be easily identified thanks to the system. Access to wind shear data eases the air traffic controller’s burden, increases the pilots’ confi-dence at a particular airport, and improves the overall aviation safety.

All required services should also be mapped in close cooperation with the airport authorities, in order to ensure the optimal performance of the system throughout its lifecycle. Planning ahead pays dividends in the long run, as system maintenance and operations become proactive and organized, and the need for ad-hoc fixes is reduced. Good data avail-ability can be maximized through various well-planned services, such as preventive maintenance, software upgrades, and regular solution performance verifications.

All the studies and investigations materialize in an implementation project plan. Once the low-level wind shear system has been installed, it is carefully tested to ensure that it meets all the requirements. Profes-sional user-training as well as period-ical training updates are an important part of the project. Tailored lifecycle services, designed before system implementation and according to the specific requirements, support smooth and safe operations. A profes-sionally run wind shear project is a huge improvement in airport safety.

If you would like to discuss the implications of wind shear for airport operations and aviation safety, please contact aviationsales@vaisala.com.

Further information:www.vaisala.com/weather/products/avi-llwas

References:Fujita, T.T.; The Downburst,

microburst and macroburstFAA; Advisory Circular Pilot

Wind Shear GuideGuan, Wen-Lin & Yong Kay;

Review of Aviation Accidents Caused by Wind Shear and Identification Methods

Juhani Polvinen; Wind shear: predicting the unpredictable

Downdraft

While the pilot compensates for the headwind by dipping the nose, the aircraft enters a

downdraft.

The glide path of a normal landing.

A headwind slows and lifts the aircraft above its normal flight path. A tailwind dangerously

reduces the aircraft’s speed.

180/2009 5

Polyacrylamide drying

is a complex process,

which demands strictly

regulated humidity

and temperature

conditions.Kemira Oyj’s paper chemicals plant in Vaasa, Finland, produces polyacrylamides for customers in global and domestic pulp and paper industry. Highly water-absorbent, polyacrylamides can be used as binders and retention aids for fibers, and to retain pigments on paper fibers.

The Vaasa plant has developed a highly sophisticated process for drying polyacrylamide, which is first produced at the plant as a gel consisting of 50% polyacrylamide

and 50% water. After the drying process, the end-product resembles granulated sugar, and contains only 7% water.

“The drying process is very demanding, as excess heat ruins the product and makes it difficult to handle. Therefore the drying has to be carried out in phases. The whole process takes some eight hours,” Technology Manager Jussi Nikka-rinen explains.

The plant has four large dryers, each of them containing one to two tons of the product. The temperature in the dryers varies between 40-60 Celsius.

Challenges with product stability

“Initially, we were only able to control the process temperature, and the humidity conditions varied greatly. This made it challenging to produce a stable, high quality product. In 1999, we decided to install nine Vaisala humidity transmitters in the drying process,” Nikkarinen recalls. The humidity transmitters incor-porate patented Vaisala HUMICAP® capacitive thin-film polymer sensors.

Before getting started with the process improvement some ten years ago, Nikkarinen and his team researched drying processes used in industry, in order to find some good examples on how to proceed. However, as they wanted to measure humidity in the dryer air and not in

the end-product, it was not an easy task.

“We couldn’t find any best-practices, and had to go with our gut feeling. We installed the Vaisala transmitters ourselves. This was a relatively easy task. Cabling was more time consuming. The meters send all measurement data to a central data collection system, which enables us to monitor the whole drying process. Our chosen humidity measurement locations are air inlet and outlet channels. We also have one Vaisala handheld humidity probe for spot-checking and confirming the measurements produced by the fixed humidity transmitters,” Development Technician Reino Paloniemi explains.

Surprising discovery led to corrective action

Part of the drying air is taken from outdoors, and part is redirected back from previous processes, after removing dust and other harmful particles. “Soon after we had installed the humidity transmit-ters, we realized that sometimes the air going in the dryers was more humid than the air coming out of the process. This is hardly the desired effect of a dryer. In other words, the drying process occasionally uninten-tionally turned into a moisturizing process,” Nikkarinen smiles.

Corrective measures were taken as a result of this discovery. For example, the team installed a process

Kemira

Kemira specializes in water and fiber management chemistry. The company’s customers are involved in pulp and paper making, municipal and industrial water treatment, and oil and mining. Kemira operates in 40 countries and has a staff of 10,000.

Marikka Nevamäki / Editor in Chief / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

Measuring process humidity for optimal product quality

6 180/2009

air dryer. “The investment was easier to justify once we had the humidity data to back-up our argument,” Palo-niemi points out.

Clear benefits gained through humidity measurement

“Humidity measurement has brought clear benefits to our operations,” Nikkarinen states. “For example, product quality has improved signifi-cantly, and our production capacity has increased. It has also improved our energy-efficiency, as now we don’t have to heat the product too much.” Humidity measurement has also increased the team members’ understanding of the process, and removed most of the guesswork.

“We’ve been very impressed with the stability and reliability of the transmitters, which still work as new after ten years of use - despite all the dust and particles in the air,” Paloniemi commends.

Further improvements possible

Kemira’s polyacrylamide drying process could still be further devel-oped, and some plans are already in place. The plant uses a central data

collection system for overall process monitoring. This could be further enhanced with an automated control system, which could make the required adjustments automatically. “We could also introduce air flow measurement in the air channels,” Nikkarinen adds.

The team at Vaasa has also cooperated with the Finnish Meteorological Institute, in order to find out the impacts of different weather conditions on the drying process. “We discovered that warm summer days are likely to cause most problems with their hot and humid conditions.”

“It is important to remember that measurement alone is not enough. The information needs to be stored and presented in an accessible format. We have people working around the clock in three shifts. When you start your shift, it is very useful to be able to check what’s been going on in the process during the previous shifts,” Nikkarinen concludes.

Further information:www.vaisala.com/humidity

First published in the– European Process Engineer magazine, www.engineerlive.com

HUMICAP® sensor

Vaisala’s relative humidity products incorporate a capacitive thin-film polymer sensor, Vaisala HUMICAP®. The HUMICAP® sensor features high accuracy, long-term stability and negligible hysteresis. It is insensitive to dust, particulate dirt and most chemicals.

All HUMICAP® products provide a full measurement range of relative humidity, 0 ... 100 % RH. In addition, depending on sensor model, the sensor is available with a chemical purge option, which maintains accuracy in environ-ments with high concentra-tions of chemicals, or with a sensor preheat option that prevents condensation.

Operating principle

The thin-film polymer either absorbs or releases water vapor as the relative humidity of the ambient air rises or drops. The dielectric properties of the polymer film depend on the amount of water contained in it: as the relative humidity changes, the dielectric properties of the film change, and so the capacitance of the sensor changes. The electronics of the instrument measure the capacitance of the sensor and convert it into a humidity reading.

Jussi Nikkarinen (left) and Reino Paloniemi check the process is running smoothly in the control room.

Reino Paloniemi and Jussi Nikkarinen use a Vaisala handheld humidity probe for spot-checking and configuring the measurements produced by the fixed humidity transmitters.

180/2009 7

The transformerLIFE Centre was established in 2005 under a grant of the State Government of Victoria, Australia, supported by Monash University and a consortium of 16 national and international compa-nies. The purpose of the Centre is to develop new and enhanced knowl-edge, techniques, products and intel-lectual property for the electricity industry, with an emphasis on power transformers. It features a special test transformer, built by Wilson Transformer Company in 2006.

Research into transformers commenced in 1994, when EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute, USA) launched a project for studying moisture and ageing phenomena in transformer paper-oil systems at Monash University.

The Centre’s research caters for power utilities and other trans-former users, manufacturers of transformers, solid insulation and transformer oil, testing and moni-toring equipment, service providers, insurance companies and research organizations. Results are also used for the development of national and

international standards, reference materials for CIGRE (International Council on Large Electric Systems) and educational programs for profes-sional training.

These audiences rely on the Centre to provide capability and knowledge, which directly influences their business decisions with regard to the behavior of transformers.

Getting the most out of the transformer lifecycle

A transformer is one of the critical elements of a power system, and it is important to make timely decisions related to maintenance, utilization, replacement and optimum operation of this asset.

The biggest challenge for utilities operating transformers is to utilize the transformer capabilities to the maximum extent without compro-mising the insulation integrity, overall transformer reliability and risk of failure.

Transformer lifecycle is a key parameter when estimating the cost of a transformer ownership. This

cost includes not only the initial transformer cost, but also the cost to operate and maintain the trans-former over its life span.

A transformer life is deter-mined by the life of its insulation. Utilities increasingly operate their transformers up to and beyond the nameplate rating and therefore up to and beyond their expected life. This results in the accelerated aging of the transformer insulation, reduction of its useful life and, consequently, increase of the cost of asset owner-ship. Therefore, accurate prediction and intelligent management of the transformer life is an important economic issue.

Test transformer fitted with over 60 sensors

The Centre’s test transformer serves many purposes – it is used as a research rig, physical model, test bed and an educational tool. It is fitted with more than 60 on-line sensors that in addition to the elec-trical parameters such as current, voltage, active and reactive power,

Dr. Valery Davydov / Director / transformerLIFE Centre / Monash University and Dr. Oleg Roizman / Principal Consultant / transformerLIFE Centre & IntellPower / Australia

transformerLIFE Centre researchers choose Vaisala sensorsThe transformerLIFE Centre in Australia is an international leader in

research into moisture in paper-oil insulation systems.

8 180/2009

harmonics, etc., monitor tempera-ture, moisture, oil flow rate, pressure and other parameters in various loca-tions of the transformer.

Among these sensors are 16 fibre-optic temperature sensors located in the windings and five Vaisala moisture and temperature transmit-ters located at the top and bottom of the tank, in the top and bottom cooling pipes and in the conser-vator fitted with an air bag. During a decade of extensive use and testing, the Centre has found the Vaisala sensors reliable, accurate, easy-to-set and user-friendly.

Samples of paper and oil are taken from the transformer regularly for various laboratory tests and ageing studies. Five round glass windows in the walls and lid of the tank allow observation and video-recording of water vapor bubbles during overload studies.

The test transformer can replicate normal loading and overloading conditions for thermal modeling. It enables the studying and improvement of the thermal capability and cooling efficiency of transformers, as well as replicating and improving factory tests, and establishing equilibrium tempera-ture and moisture conditions in its paper-oil system – the conditions in which accurate measurements can be taken for validation of algorithms being developed. It also allows the moisture content of insulation to be changed for further moisture studies and modeling. The transformer is effectively used for teaching and training demonstrations of the thermodynamic behavior of a power transformer.

On-line moisture measurement, best practices

The number and location of the moisture sensors in a transformer are one of the most important ques-tions a user should consider. It is too common to install a sensor wherever a convenient port is. Often, the loca-

tions like the bottom oil drain valve or the conservator oil filling pipe are not suitable for placing the sensor because of poor or no oil circulation.

The selection of a good location depends on individual transformer design, size and the type of cooling system. As a rule of thumb, a moisture probe should be installed in the oil circulation path at a high temperature location. The radiator headers, both top and bottom, are among the transformerLIFE Centre researchers’ favorite spots. These locations are also useful for evalu-ation of the cooling efficiency and

effectiveness of on-line dryout. Choosing a robust, reliable and high-quality transmitter ensures accurate measurement results and well-informed operations.

Further information:www.vaisala.com/instruments/products/moistureinoil

Dr. Oleg Roizman is a Principal Consultant with IntellPower, Australia. He provides consulting services to electric utilities, universities and manufac-tures of electrical equipment in the field of electric equipment diagnostics and monitoring. He is a consultant to the transformerLIFE Centre.

Dr. Valery Davydov is a Principal Research Fellow with Monash University, Australia. He is the Director of the Centre for Power Transformer Moni-toring, Diagnostics and Life Management (the transformerLIFE Centre).

Dr. Valery Davydov and Dr. Oleg Roizman in front of the transformerLIFE Centre’s test trans-former.

180/2009 9

“This is the biggest single surface weather equipment agreement ever made.”

Vaisala participates in the biggest meteorological modernization project in the Russian historyRussia renews its

surface weather

observation

capabilities - Vaisala

technology is used for

accurate weather data

One of the biggest surface weather observation network modernization projects in the world is currently underway in the Russian Federa-tion. The project includes over 1800 observation sites around Russia. Vaisala is the main weather observa-tion technology provider in the large-scale project.

Vaisala provides the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeo-

rology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) with state-of-the-art surface weather monitoring tech-nology. The goals are to gain real-time data, increase automation, and improve the quality of weather infor-mation across the largest country in the world.

Vaisala is partnering with a local Russian integrator, Lanit, in the delivery project. The equipment will be used throughout the entire Russian Federation in accordance with the Russian Federation National Hydromet Modernization Project. The project is supported by the World Bank.

Local production facilities in Novosibirsk

Local production facilities have been set up in the Novosibirsk region

with Vaisala’s assistance. Finnish engineers are actively involved in the process. Weather station assembly, calibration and delivery will be carried out from the Novosibirsk facility. The first stations have already been assembled locally.

The entire modernization project, coordinated by Lanit, will amount to tens of millions of euros. Vaisala’s share of the contract is some 4.7 million euros. The project scale is unprecedented in the Russian history of meteorology.

“This is a major opening for Vaisala in the region, and the biggest single surface weather equipment agreement ever made. I’m extremely happy that our long-term hard work in the region has been rewarded like this,” says Martti Husu, Executive Vice President from Vaisala Meteo-rology.

Marikka Nevamäki / Editor in chief / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

A map indicating the scale of the Russian Federation

National Hydromet Moderniza-tion Project (weather stations

marked with yellow tags).

The Russian Federal Service for Hydro-meteorology and Environmental Monitoring

(Roshydromet) visited Vaisala in March 2009 to discuss mutual cooperation.

10 180/2009

Mr. Vicente Perez and Mr. Santiago Salson from MeteoGalicia, as well as Mr. Joaquin Baumela and Mr. Francisco Torrente from Quatri-pole visited Vaisala in November 2008. The purpose of the visit was to carry out Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) for the Vaisala Weather Radar WRM200. The radar will be installed in Galicia, northwestern Spain, in summer 2009. Meteo-Galicia is responsible for the local weather forecasts and warnings in the Galicia region, and Qatripole is the local engineering partner for the installation project. MeteoGalicia depends on the regional govern-ment of Galicia, Xunta de Galicia. All their information, also regarding the new radar products, is available at www.meteogalicia.es.

The purpose of the FAT tests is to verify the system performance against given specifications and to ensure that all parts of the system and its documentation exist according to the purchase order. Hundreds of Vaisala customers from around the world visit the company every year to participate in different FAT tests. It is a great opportunity for both parties to get to know each other a little better, and to ensure mutual understanding of the required system qualities.

The radar is a part of a weather observation solution, which Vaisala is providing to the region of Galicia. In addition to the dual-polarization weather radar, the solution consists of a lightning detection network of four sensors and a sounding

system, as well as a five-year service contract.

Fewer rainy days - more intensive rain

The Galicia region’s coastal areas in the west and north are open to the Atlantic Ocean and its challenging weather conditions. Severe storms and thunder are common and cause damages each year.

“Research on the effects of climate change has been carried out in Galicia. It found evidence that there are more extreme events of rain in the area than in the past. There may be fewer rainy days, but when it rains it is more intensive. There are clear risks relating to this; villages and small towns close to rivers or the sea may suffer damaging floods,” says Mr. Vicente Perez from Meteo-Galicia.

“The new Vaisala radar will benefit us in many ways. It will improve our capacity for civil protec-tion as we will be able to issue more accurate warnings. The data gained will compli-ment measurement data from other instru-ments, and we will be

able to assimilate the information into our numerical models. The radar will also be used for more long-term climatological research. Our university researchers are already enthusiastically waiting for the radar data,” Mr. Perez smiles. “Cyclone Klaus, which hit the North of Spain and France in January 2009, is just one example of a situation where we could’ve benefited from the new capabilities offered by this kind of radar.”

The new and improved weather observation network can also be used for providing new kinds of services to local interest groups affected by weather, such as fish-ermen, shellfish fishermen, clam pickers, electrical power companies and recreational agencies. Regional weather forecasts on TV are also expected to improve.

Marikka Nevamäki / Editor in Chief / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

Forecasting extreme events of rain

The Spanish region of

Galicia is vulnerable

to extreme weather

events due to its

location by the Atlantic

Ocean.

From left to right: Joaquin Baumela, Quatripole and Santiago Salson Casado and Vicente Perez Muñuzuri from MeteoGalicia at the Vaisala Factory Acceptance Tests for the Weather Radar WRM200. Vaisala’s Timo Lyly on the keyboard.

180/2009 11

Choosing the right

type of measurement

instrumentation is

important in order

to reach the best

humidity measurement

results. Calibration

should also be carried

out regularly, and to

traceable standards.

Products manufactured in clean-rooms cover a wide range, including pharmaceuticals and semicon-ductors. Humidity, temperature, particles and pressure are often controlled, as these parameters can have serious effects on product quality and production efficiency.

Relative humidity

Relative humidity (%RH) describes the amount of water vapor that exists in a gaseous mixture of air and water. It is a ratio of the amount of water vapor present compared to how much could be present at a given temperature. Issues at production

sites, such as expansion and contrac-tion, and hardening and softening of material, change in viscosity of liquid, growth of microbes, increase in static electricity, and corrosion and rust, are largely affected by humidity.

Dewpoint

Dewpoint (Td) is a temperature at which dew, or condensation, forms on cooling a gas. Dewpoint is a parameter suitable for expressing very small water content in a gas like air. In the micromachining of semi-conductors the conditions are very dry as water molecules are regarded as contaminants. In this condition relative humidity is practically stag-nated at 0 %RH but dewpoint scale is still sensitive for water content changes in the measured gas.

Different applications, different needs

A pharmaceutical manufacturing plant often has a large number of cleanrooms. The control and recording of temperature and humidity is strictly designated by GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice). The most important feature required from humidity sensors is small devia-tion. It is important to be able to perform precise calibration to check that the sensor does not drift over the long-term.

In food processing plants, it is necessary to keep the manufacturing site at or below certain humidity. For example, 40% or below seems to be a commonly used value. This helps in restricting the growth of germs and bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

In semiconductor and electronics product plants, the generation of products changes more and more rapidly. As a result, the control of humidity and dewpoint in the manufacturing process has become stricter. In the manufacturing mini-environments, very high level control with an accuracy of +/-1%RH is often required.

Humidity control is also impor-tant at liquid crystal display plants and paint plants. In this case, the durability and accuracy of the humidity sensor is very important. These plants generate various gases, which can affect sensor elements.

Humidity and dewpoint sensor technologies

Humidity sensors, which measure water content in the air, are broadly divided into two types. One measures humidity and the other dewpoint. In an atmosphere where the humidity level is at least 10%RH, humidity measurement is often used, while in low humidity, dewpoint measurement is preferred. In some cases it is convenient to use

Daisuke Fujisawa / Regional Market Manager / Vaisala / Tokyo, Japan

Humidity measurement in cleanrooms

12 180/2009

dewpoint measurement even in high humidity conditions.

Humidity and dewpoint sensors include:

1. Psychrometer2. Mechanical hygrometer3. Lithium chloride dewpoint indi-

cator4. Resistance type hygrometer5. Capacitance type hygrometer

(dew indicator)6. Mirror dewpoint indicator

Sensors 1-6 can measure general humidity levels. Sensors 5 and 6 are also used for low dewpoint measurement. The principle of each technology is described briefly in the following. 1. A psychrometer is a simple form of a hygrometer, which consists of two thermometers. One has a dry bulb and the other a bulb that is kept wet to measure wet-bulb temperature. The wet bulb cools by evaporation of the water. The amount of evapora-tion, as well as cooling of the ther-mometer, depends on the humidity of the atmosphere. This data, together with humidity tables or calcula-tions, is used to determine the vapor pressure of water in the surrounding air, and relative humidity. This is a method often used in laboratories and humidity and temperature test chambers. 2. A mechanical hygrometer measures and records humidity using an instrument that expands and contracts with humidity changes, such as human hair. This type of measurement has been used for a long time. The accuracy of the method is not very good.3. A lithium chloride dewpoint indicator is a measurement principle based on the hygroscopic character-istic (ability of a substance to attract water molecules) of lithium chloride. The sensor consists of a reel covered with an absorbent fabric and a bifilar winding (two insulated wires, with currents traveling through them in opposite directions) of inert elec-

trodes. The reel is coated with lithium chloride. An alternating current is passed through the winding and the lithium chloride solution, causing resistive heating. As the reel heats, water evaporates from the lithium chloride solution at a rate which is controlled by the vapor pressure of water in the surrounding air. When the reel begins to dry, the resistance of the lithium chloride solution increases, and less current flows through the winding. This allows the reel to cool. This heating and cooling of the reel reaches an equilibrium point where it neither takes on nor gives off water, and the equilibrium temperature is directly proportional to the dewpoint of the surrounding air.4. A resistance type hygrometer utilizes the principle that electrical resistance varies in a material that absorbs moisture. Special sensors are used to measure the resistance to a current passing between wires. This type of sensor is suitable for mass production and seems to be most used for home appliances and consumer products. However, it may not measure accurately in very low or very high humidity environments.5. A capacitance type hygrometer measures humidity by detecting the change in capacitance of a thin polymer film. This type of sensor can easily achieve sufficient accuracy, and is mostly used in industry. The patented HUMICAP® humidity sensors manufactured by Vaisala use this technology.6. A mirror dewpoint indicator utilizes the occurrence of dew at dewpoint temperature when air containing water vapor is cooled. A mirror is cooled until it reaches the dewpoint of the gas in question. As dew condensation forms, it changes the light reflected from the mirror. When the mirror surface reaches an equilibrium state whereby evapora-tion and condensation are occurring at the same rate, the temperature of the mirror is equal to the dewpoint temperature of the tested gas. This type of sensor is often used in research institutes.

Sensors mostly used in clean-rooms include the resistance type hygrometer, capacitance type hygrometer (dew indicator) and mirror dewpoint indicator. When selecting a suitable instrument, it is important not only to pay attention to the price and product specifi-cations, but also to consider the measurement accuracy, manufac-turer’s application knowledge and services available. All these factors contribute to the actual user-experi-ence and operational success.

Regular traceable calibration is important

One should always make sure that the data produced by the measure-ment equipment is reliable and accurate. Periodic calibration is absolutely essential. Typical cali-bration intervals can be viewed in table 1.

Table 2. presents an example of a traceability chain for installed humidity and temperature units. From a global perspective, all

Vaisala’s own cleanroom produces sensors for radiosondes as well as different humid-ity, barometric pressure and carbon dioxide measurement products.

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measurements are based on the globally agreed International System of Units (SI). This ensures that we use the same quantities, and that measurements performed with various types of equipment in various locations are comparable.

National laboratories are respon-sible for maintaining and developing traceability and for providing the highest accuracy calibrations. The calibration services of the National Measurement Standard Laboratories may be limited to calibration of the highest grade primary standards.

Commercial calibration services provide calibration services for lower level standards and measure-ment equipment. These may be manufacturer services providing calibration services for their own products, or laboratories providing calibration services for any measure-ment equipment. Non-accredited calibration services are the majority service providers, including most of the measurement equipment manu-facturers’ calibration services and a considerable amount of commercial calibration services. Without accredi-tation the competence of these services is not proven. Before use, the competence should be confirmed by auditing the service.

Each calibration service provider must maintain an effective trace-ability chain. At the very least, the primary standard must be cali-brated at an outside laboratory and then used for calibrations. Some commercial calibration services do not include uncertainty estimations in their calibration certificates if not ordered separately. Some calibration services are not able to calculate uncertainty at all. One should always consider the competence of these services.

Sometimes it is practical to maintain an in-house calibration system. This may be the case if the measurement equipment is difficult to transfer (calibration on-site) or when the amount of calibrated equip-ment is high. To set up an in-house calibration system, a suitable

organization should be founded. The organization may contain just one person or a whole department with management and calibration staff.

Laboratory calibration is preferred to field calibration. In a laboratory, the effects caused by the environment can be minimized, and the number of factors influencing the calibration are reduced significantly.

Field calibration is a quick and easy way of checking measurement equipment without having to remove it from the process or process area. Field calibration requires a working standard as a reference. This working standard can be hand-held or some other equipment used for calibrating the instrument installed in the process. Working standards are cali-brated at a higher level laboratory.

Vaisala has accredited calibra-tion services for Vaisala pressure,

temperature, dewpoint and humidity instruments. Services are available through regional service centers, and available for both already installed units and together with the delivery of new units.

You can order your own Vaisala Calibration Book free of charge at www.vaisala.com/calibrationbook . The book contains useful informa-tion on everything you need to know about calibration.

Further information:www.vaisala.com/humiditywww.vaisala.com/dewpoint

References: Arun S. Mujumdar; Handbook of

Industrial Drying (2006)Vaisala Calibration Book (2007)

InternationallevelNational MeasurementStandards Laboratory

In-house Laboratory

Customer

SI–UnitsPressure

National Standard

Primary Standard Primary Standard

Primary Humidity generator

Working Standard Working Standard

Calibration for humidity and temperature instruments

National Standard

SI–UnitsTemperature

Measurement equipmentMonth

6 9 12 24 36 60

Mechanical pressure meters

Precision barometers

Barometers

Liquid-in-glass thermometers

Resistive temperature sensors and thermoele-ments/thermometers

Dewpoint meters

Humidity meters

Active electrical meters

Passive electrical meters

Lenght measurement equipment

Lenght measurement equipment with electrical display

suitable calibration interval

Table 2. Example of a traceability chain for installed humidity and temperature measurement units.

Table 1. Typical calibration intervals for measurement equipment.

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A modern and efficient HVAC system is a significant investment, but one that pays back in the long run. High energy prices are driving building owners to seek automation and cut costs. Demands for better indoor air quality are increasing through legislation. Well-designed building automation solutions also advance sustainable development, as the quality of life is improved through better indoor air, and environmental load is minimized through automation when systems are used only on demand.

Vaisala is committed to serving its customers within the building automation sector even better in the future. We are increasing our resources to cater for the ever-more demanding requirements of building automation systems. Whether you are an OEM, integrator, contractor, or responsible for facility HVAC management, our aim is to fulfill your specific business needs. Vaisala is known worldwide for the reliability of our humidity and carbon dioxide measurement, among many other parameters, as well as our profes-sional services and product support.

We provide measurement tools for a range of purposes, such as energy optimization and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Expertise in the entire

HVAC&R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning & refrigeration) area gives us the opportunity to provide products for diverse applications.

Vaisala products are stable and perform well even under condi-tions involving dust and particulate dirt. With minimal calibration and adjustment, your measurements will remain in specification and operate for the duration of your system. Vaisala’s installer-friendly products are designed to make your job easier and more straightforward. No special tools or skills are needed - just “plug and play”.

Tell us your building automation needs and we’ll find the solutions that support your business!info@vaisala.com

Further information:www.vaisala.com/instruments/applications/hvac

Vaisala’s installer-friendly products are designed to make your job easier and more straightforward.

Vaisala Building Automation Our solutions can be used across a range of mainstream environ-ments:• Commercial offices• Retail spaces• Government buildings• Educational facilities• Sports facilities• Event complexes • Hotels and conference centers• Airports and metro stations

We also offer solutions for more demanding environments, including:• Cleanrooms and laboratories• Data centers and server facili-

ties• Healthcare facilities • Parking garages• Cold storage and warehouses• Occupied industrial facilities

Ulla Mattila / Regional Market Manager / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

Building automation solutions for the futureHVAC - heating, ventilation and air conditioning - account for 70 – 80% of a

building’s operating costs.

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The reason for being there was to make atmospheric measurements in the extreme situations that often occur by the coast of Greenland. During three weeks in February and March 2007 I participated in a field campaign, a part of the Greenland Flow Distortion experiment (GFDex), a UK-led international project which took place at the start of the Interna-tional Polar Year.

Greenland, the largest island on Earth, is also a massive mountain.

The ice sheet stands over 2 km and extends for thousands of kilome-tres. This means that Greenland is a massive obstacle to the atmospheric flow and the low level air prefers to flow along and around Greenland if possible, rather than attempting to flow over the ice sheet. This results in flow distortion by Greenland with, for example, intense low level jets by the steep coast, lee cyclones forming on the leeward side of the mountain and cyclones moving northeastward

over the North Atlantic lingering a bit longer in the Iceland region than else-where. Greenland can also impact the airflow higher up in the atmosphere, affecting the weather downstream as far as Europe and Africa a few days later.

Strong winds under scrutiny

The strong winds around Greenland are thought to be important for the

Flying 30 m above the raging sea is a special feeling. Watching the white

capped waves so close and seeing the white streak where the wind rips the

waves. Feeling the turbulence shake the aircraft and the stomach starting to

complain.

The flight tracks of each of the GFDex flights. Map image: Google.

Guðrún Nína Petersen / School of Environmental Sciences / University of East Anglia / Norwich, UK

Flying into the storm– Greenland Flow Distortion experiment

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climate system. The area that we were looking at during the GFDex, the Irminger Sea between Greenland and Iceland and the Greenland Sea north of Iceland, is thought to be a key part of the thermohaline circulation; the large scale overturning ocean circula-tion that is partly responsible for the temperate climate of Europe. This circulation is driven by tempera-ture and salinity making it almost entirely horizontal. The vertical overturning happens only in a few places, restricted by a cyclonic gyre and cold, strong winds sucking heat and moisture out of the ocean. When these conditions are fulfilled, open-ocean convection can happen and dense water sinks down to the ocean bed. Such open-ocean convection has been found in the Labrador Sea, between Greenland and Canada, and in the Greenland Sea. Recently, the Irminger Sea has also been recognised as a region where these conditions may be met, with the strong low level wind jets formed due to the impact of Greenland on the atmospheric flow playing an important role.

Among the aims of the GFDex field campaign was to measure the atmosphere in these strong winds as well as sample the air-sea fluxes that are important for the climate system.

Intensive field campaign preparations

Going on a field campaign like this one is not done without prepara-tions. For example I was a part of a group going to Iceland, where we had our field base during the flying campaign, 6 months prior to the campaign. Among the tasks was to find a suitable hotel with a confer-ence room we could take over during the field campaign. We spoke to the civic aviation administration, introducing our plans to them and discussing possible problems and solutions. At the airport we met up with the ground handling service companies and inspected aircraft hangars we might possible use during the field campaign.

During the following months the planning intensified. The UK Met Office, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the Icelandic Met Office tailored weather charts for us, we planned the day-to-day schedule and tried to prepare ourselves as well as possible. We also discussed which instruments we needed onboard the aircraft. As we were flying in an area with few airports - and a lot of open water - we needed the aircraft to be as light as possible so we had as long flight range as possible.

Long days on and off the ground

The group met in Iceland on 19 February 2007. It consisted of the aircraft crew and atmospheric scien-tists from the UK, Iceland, Norway, Canada and the US. Each day the weather forecasts for the next few days were studied and discussed. New forecasts arrived every 6 hours but those most important for the planning were available early in the morning. If it was decided to fly the day after the flight mission was planned in details with the help of one of the pilots, the objectives, the flight track and what kind of observations were needed. The days on the ground were long and filled with weather discussions and flight planning, but the days when we were flying were even longer.

We usually took off at 10:30LT with one flight taking off as early as 08:00LT. This may sound like a late start but the preparations for each flight took about 3.5 hours. This meant that at 7 o’clock the engineers started preparing the aircraft. At a similar time the scientists flying that day had a final look at the latest forecasts and satellite pictures and prepared for a pre-flight brief. The flights lasted for 4-6 hours and every flight mission ended with a debrief in the conference room around five in the afternoon. There would then be an update from the ground crew about the decisions made regarding the next

day and the eventual preparations. The discussions and planning could then last into the evening.

Good atmospheric data gained

During the three weeks in Iceland we flew twelve times sampling a mixture of high impact weather events, an easterly tip jet at the southern tip of Greenland, barrier flow parallel to the coast of Greenland, lee cyclones and a polar low north of Iceland. When mapping out the low level jet we usually flew at 18-20 thousand feet height (5-6 km). The atmosphere at the flight level was measured by the instrumented aircraft, e.g. wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity and ozone concentration. At regular intervals dropsondes were launched. A dropsonde is the falling equivalent of a radiosonde making a vertical profile of the atmosphere. However, instead of being attached to a balloon it has a parachute and is dropped from an aircraft. The measurements are transmitted back to the aircraft for onward satel-lite transmission into the Global Telecommunication System (GTS). Measuring the impact of these strong winds on the ocean below meant flying at about 100 feet (~30 m) above the ocean to make measurements of fluxes of momentum, heat and moisture from the ocean to the atmo-sphere. At such low levels in strong winds you were in for a bumpy ride!

The field campaign was successful and we left Iceland with loads of atmospheric data. Since then we have been working hard analysing the data and looking at the cases in details. The field campaign was hard work, early mornings, late evening and long days but it was also a fantastic experience working in a group with the main goal of every day making the best possible measure-ments of the extreme weather.

Further information:www.vaisala.com/weather/products/soundingequipment

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Walter F. Dabberdt, Ph.D. / Chief Science Officer / Vaisala / Boulder, CO, USA

AMS President 2008:

looking backA brief personal retrospective on the American Meteorological Society’s year

2008, including some of the many highlights.

AMS Presidents (left to right): Franco Einaudi (2006), Rick Anthes (2007) and Walt Dabberdt (2008) at work on a Habitat for Humanity house building project in New Orleans.

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) began 2008 in New Orleans with the 88th Annual Meeting where we witnessed firsthand the sobering experience of a city still devastated by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Apart from attending technical sessions on hurricane observations, forecasting and mitiga-tion, some of us had the privilege of

working with Habitat for Humanity to help provide new housing to the resi-dents of the city’s Upper Fifth Ward. It was a signal occasion we will never forget. The year ended exploring a very different set of issues: those resulting from convergence of changing population demographics, the growth of the world’s cities, and global warming as we convened in

the Desert Southwest for the 89th Annual Meeting in Phoenix. As AMS President, I presided over an intervening 12 months that were filled with a great many accomplish-ments—and challenges.

Thanks to the generosity of many individual, corporate (including Vaisala) and institutional members, AMS was able to award last year

18 180/2009

“I would like to encourage all who work in some professional capacity in the field of meteorology, oceanography, climate, hydrology or the related sciences to become a member of this unique organization”

alone 59 graduate and undergraduate fellowships and scholarships totaling more than $500,000. This is a great investment in our science, the Society, and our future. Presenting their awards and talking with many of these bright, energetic and enthusiastic students was a personal highlight of the Phoenix meeting.

One of the principal tasks of the Scientific and Technical Activities Commission (STAC) is to organize the many specialty conferences that attracted more than 6000 partici-pants last year. The STAC is now comprised of 31 Boards and Commit-tees with more than 300 members. It’s traditional for the AMS President to attend many of these conferences, which gave me the opportunity to go to meetings outside of my own specialty areas and to interact with many experts in such topical areas as mountain meteorology, agricultural and forest meteorology, weather modification, broadcast meteorology, turbulence, and tropical meteorology.

Under the leadership of the Publi-cations Commission, AMS publishes 10 scholarly journals and the AMS Bulletin. In 2008, AMS published an all-time record 29,348 pages, and we announced a new scholarly journal, Weather, Climate, and Society, that will publish its first issue late in 2009.

The past year has seen record numbers of applications — and certi-fications — for broadcast meteorolo-gists and consulting meteorologists; these certifications serve to raise the competency bar for practitioners in both of these important areas. Currently, there are 297 Certified Broadcast Meteorologists (CBM) and 314 active Certified Consulting Meteorologists. The AMS TV Seal program was discontinued at the end of 2008 in favor of the CBM program,

and there remain 652 active TV Seal Holders with more than 200 Seal and CBM applications still in review.

One of the most important and demanding responsibilities of AMS’ senior leadership is to oversee the creation of policy and information statements that provide the official AMS position on a wide range of important and sometimes contro-versial topics. This past year was no exception as we published four new or updated statements dealing with national weather and climate priori-ties, water resources, probability forecasts, and space weather. Work on new statements on climate geoen-gineering, radio frequency issues, and the importance of infrastructure were all initiated in 2008 and will be released in 2009 for public review and comment prior to final release later in the year.

At the 2008 New Orleans Annual Meeting, I proposed a new initiative intended to increase interactions among the world’s more than sixty meteorological societies. This past January in Phoenix, representatives from 18 societies from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania and the World Meteo-rological Organization participated in a planning meeting to debate the merits of going forward. There it was unanimously agreed to establish an International Forum of Meteoro-logical Societies, or IFMS. This is the first time that an organization of this type and scope has been established within the global meteorological community. AMS can be proud to have spearheaded its formation. A steering committee is in the process of establishing terms of reference and preparing for the first global meeting of the IFMS in January 2010 that will take place in conjunction

with the 90th AMS Annual Meeting in Atlanta. The fundamental goal of the IFMS is very basic; to foster and encourage communication and exchange of knowledge, ideas and resources among the world’s meteo-rological societies. A few examples of topics of common concern to IFMS members include: global climate change, impacts of severe natural weather hazards, the rapid evolution of society publications, trends in society membership, and domestic and international outreach.

In closing, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the AMS members and staff who have made 2008 an incomparable year for me in many ways. It was a unique opportunity to interact with so many dedicated professionals and to make so many new and wonderful acquaintances, all of whom share the common goal of strengthening the Society and the professions it serves. I look forward to continuing those interactions in the years ahead. Equally important and enjoyable was the universal support of Vaisala that allowed me to take on these added responsibilities. The next two years will not be quite devoid of AMS responsibilities as I continue in the role of Past President where I continue to serve on the AMS Council and its Executive Committee. All in all, it’s been a great experience that I will forever cherish. I would also like to encourage all who work in some professional capacity in the field of meteorology, oceanography, climate, hydrology or the related sciences to become a member of this unique (and international) organization by exploring www.ametsoc.org .

180/2009 19

Sharon Stephenson / Wellington, New Zealand

Road safety taken to a new level in New ZealandThe New Zealand MetService’s new, innovative real-time weather reporting

model is helping travelers on the Central Plateau to drive safely, even in the

most demanding weather conditions.

Developed by MetService, the Road Weather Station Network features 12 weather stations using Vaisala road and meteorological sensors that provide up-to-date weather and road information for the central North Island. The solution won the road engineering category of the annual New Zealand Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Awards in 2008.

According to Peter Fisher, MetService Senior Market Manager, the Network is aimed at making the region’s roads safer for all users. “In 2007, we were contracted by the

NZ Transport Agency to devise a system that would provide their road contractors with real-time road and weather observations, as well as site-specific forecasts, at 12 key locations around the Central Plateau, where severe weather and icing conditions have traditionally caused problems.”

First of its kind in New Zealand

Following Vaisala’s thermal mapping of the State Highway network, as arranged by the NZ Transport

Agency, Vaisala designated climatic domains representing regions of similar climatology. Twelve road weather stations, each reporting key road and weather information every minute, were designed, based on World Meteorological Organiza-tion standards, and installed at key locations within each central North Island climatic domain from September 2007 to July 2008.

“The Network, which is the first of its kind in New Zealand, provides contractors with real-time road weather information as well as

20 180/2009

forecasts up to 65 hours in advance. Therefore, contractors will know the best times to carry out road maintenance work and road de-icing in winter,” Mr. Fisher explains.

Being able to plan around the weather also helps to minimize road disruptions and increases road safety. “The Road Weather Network aims to save time, resources and, ultimately, people’s lives.”

The wireless road weather stations provide real-time air and road information from each location. The MetService then makes use of these observations to add value to the hourly wind speed and direction, air temperature, dew point, relative humidity, rainfall, pressure, solar radiation and cloud cover forecasts at each location. Sensors embedded in the road at these 12 points simul-taneously convey information about the road conditions.

“Access to this information allows the roads to be kept open for longer and enables the traveling public to have confidence that the roads are safer to travel and are being maintained in a safe and effi-cient manner,” Mr. Fisher says.

No more guesswork

Prior to the Network’s introduction, road contractors had no official weather monitoring or forecast service in place, other than the MetService’s generic forecast and a single weather station at the Desert Road summit. Therefore, contrac-tors had to rely on a combination of intuition, basic weather knowledge and some non-networked observa-tion points to be able to carry out their work.

“In preparing for an ice event, road contractors would sometimes apply expensive CMA (Calcium Magnesium Acetate) to roads which helps to keep them clear of ice for up to five days. But if it rained shortly afterwards, the CMA would be washed away. Alternative ice management procedures would then have to be considered, meaning

further traffic delays for drivers.” Being able to access current informa-tion has changed all that.

“By providing real-time road and weather observations from each of the 12 locations, the Road Weather Station Network gives contrac-tors more control over ensuring safe driving conditions during icy periods.” Contractors also benefit as they used to have to travel long distances, often early in the morning, to determine the meteorological conditions at a site. “Now they can just log into their MetService MetConnect weather information website from their home, truck or office and view the real-time and forecast road weather conditions, which saves time and money.”

Proud to be saving lives

Not surprisingly, Mr. Fisher is proud of the Road Weather Network and the award it has won. “This initiative is the first of its kind in New Zealand and we’ve developed it specifically for our environment and conditions. Feedback from users continues to be exceptionally positive.”

While it’s still too early to say if the Network has reduced the number

of weather-related vehicle acci-dents in areas where the automated weather stations are operating, Mr. Fisher says they are confident the system has the potential to save lives. MetService is also keen to widen the scope of the ice prediction system from site-specific reporting and forecasting to network-wide ice prediction, and to expand the Network to other parts of the country, such as Central Otago and Inland Canterbury.

Further information:www.vaisala.com/weather/applications/traffic

Weather sensors located in South Waiouru.

The wireless road weather stations provide real-time air and road infor-mation from each location.

180/2009 21

Marikka Nevamäki / Editor in chief / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

Vaisala Radiosonde RS80

Three decades of superior performance Year 2009 marks the end of an era at Vaisala, as

the manufacturing of its great global success, the

Vaisala Radiosonde RS80, was discontinued in

December 2008. The RS80 gives way to the new

generation Vaisala Radiosonde RS92.

22 180/2009

The need for a new radiosonde generation was recognized at the end of the 70s, as the RS21 radiosonde was unable to make a breakthrough in some major market areas, such as in the USA and UK. The development project’s goal was to dramatically improve the observation perfor-mance of the Vaisala radiosonde, introduce automation, and eliminate the easily breakable mechanical parts. Another driver was the need to create a product that would be easier to manufacture in large quantities.

Great risk for product development

“It was a huge risk for product development, as we were eager to incorporate a great amount of brand new technology all in one go. These included, for example, the new HUMICAP® humidity sensor, and an electronic switch. We also developed a new kind of unwinder to ease the launch of the radiosonde, and a new battery in-house,” says Veijo Anti-kainen, former Product Development Manager at Vaisala.

All the interviewed Vaisala sounding stalwarts agree that that the RS80 was a significant technolog-

ical leap forward for Vaisala. Its high quality, repeatability, automation and efficiency all contributed towards a revolutionary product.

Vaisala’s then Managing Director Yrjö Toivola often jokingly said that a radiosonde should be so small in size that he could fit it in his breast pocket. He finally got what he wanted when the team presented him with a shirt that had an extraordinarily large, tailor-made breast pocket!

International prestige and recognition

“We wanted to offer superior performance and usability for the customers,” says Jan Hörhammer, Director of Customer Relations. The risk paid off. The Vaisala Radiosonde RS80 provided such advantages that it won over even the most hesitant buyers.

The RS80 gained prestige through international radiosonde comparison tests. The WMO found the instru-ment so good that it chose it as the reference sonde for comparisons. “One of the first successes was in UK at Bracknell in mid 80s. I’ll never forget when Alan Hooper from the UK

Met Office told me ‘now you have a radiosonde’,” Antikainen recalls.

Customers played a significant role in the development of the RS80. For example, the US National Weather Service (NWS) influenced the way the product was tested and verified, therefore also influ-encing the manufacturing process. Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) further contributed to the quality control with their stringent factory acceptance tests, and the Japanese had strict transmitter stability requirements. The Finnish Meteoro-logical Institute, UK Met Office and the Meteorological Services Division of Singapore were also important partners in the early stages.

Moving on

Every product comes to the end of its life span at some stage. After serving well for nearly three decades, the RS80 has now retired. It gives way to the Vaisala Radiosonde RS92, first launched in 2003, which takes up where the RS80 left off - offering many new and improved features as well as cost-efficiency to Vaisala’s customers.

“We wanted to offer superior performance and usability for the

customers”

180/2009 23

Vaisala’s representative office in Brazil, HOBECO Ltda, supplied a portable Vaisala Automatic Weather Station (MAWS) to the Antarctic Meteorological teams of the Direc-tory of Hydrography and Navigation of the Brazilian Navy (DHN) at the “Estação Antártica Comandante Ferraz (EACF)”, which is the Brazilian Antarctic Base.

The station was installed in summer 2005, and has operated continuously and satisfactorily under the most adverse meteorological conditions. As a way to evaluate the performance of the system, HOBECO

interviewed Lieutenant-Commander Emma Giada Matschinske, head of the Meteorological Forecast Division of the Brazilian Marine Meteorolog-ical Service, operated by DHN.

Why does Brazil have an Antarctic Station?

The Antarctic region and the surrounding Southern Ocean is the least known region in the world. It has its own distinct climatic characteristics, which make working outdoors difficult for human beings. Many contemporary processes of

global relevance can be witnessed there, such as ozone depletion, atmo-spheric pollution, climate change, sea level rise and melting ice shelves and glaciers.

The highly successful Interna-tional Geophysical Year of 1957-58 gave rise to the formulation of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, and its ratification in 1961. The Treaty has promoted cooperation among nations and stimulated unre-stricted scientific research and data exchange.

As one of the countries to ratify the Antarctic Treaty, Brazil assumed

Gilson L. Feitosa / Hobeco Ltda / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Brazil contributes to research in the Antarctic

Brazil is committed to the research and

preservation of the Antarctic and its unique

climatic characteristics. Vaisala equipment is

used for reliable in-situ data.

24 180/2009

international commitments which imply the duty to carry out scien-tific research and to preserve the Antarctic environment.

What is the role of the Brazilian Navy in the Brazilian Antarctic operations?

Brazilian activities in the Antarctic region are coordinated by the Brazilian Antarctic Program (PROANTAR). The main efforts of Brazilian scientists focus on the Comandante Ferraz, EACF Antarctic station.

Both the administration of EACF and the logistic support for mate-rials and staff are provided by the Brazilian Navy. PROANTAR also relies on support flights, carried out by a Brazilian Air Force aircraft, and on PETROBRAS, Petróleo Brasileiro S/A, which is responsible for all fuel used.

Where in the Antarctic continent is EACF based?

EACF is located at 62º08 S 058º40W in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, some 130 km from the Antarctic Peninsula. The Station has been named after Commander Luis Antonio de Carvalho Ferraz, a late Navy Hydrographer, one of the Brazilian Antarctic exploration pioneers.

When did EACF operations start?

EACF commenced operations in 1984, and has continued with no operational interruptions so far. Its tasks include supporting research programs, which are developed to study the impacts of global environ-mental changes in Antarctica and its consequences for the Americas. Brazilian researchers also contribute at three other sites located at Elephant, Nelson ad King George Islands, and on board the oceano-graphic support ship Ary Rongel.

What is DHN’s role in Antarctic weather forecasts?

Weather forecasting is paramount for the safety of activities in the Antarctic. DHN transmits daily bulletins and special meteorological forecasts, as well as numerical weather products for EACF. The Ary Rongel ship has also benefited from atmospheric and wave forecasts.

Why did DHN need an Automatic Weather Station at the EACF?

The station is used to evaluate weather forecasts generated by the Brazilian Navy. It also allows meteorologists to observe the main characteristics of the meteorological polar summer systems in-situ. The Brazilian Navy has already sent six Meteorological Officers to EACF in different periods during the latest Southern summers. With the data provided by Vaisala systems, DHN Meteorological Officers can evaluate the necessity to increase the resolu-tion of its numerical models, and work towards the implementation of data assimilation and state-of-the-

art numerical weather prediction, currently under development at DHN.

What are your experiences with the Vaisala weather stations?

The Vaisala systems are easy to set up and configure, and measure wind speed and direction, pressure, temperature, relative humidity and precipitation - guaranteeing the necessary data for the evaluation and calibration of the numerical weather models generated by DHN.

Comparison between the fore-casts made in-situ with the ones elaborated remotely revealed that the presence of meteorological teams from DHN at EACF allowed a better understanding of local conditions, which led to an improvement of about 15% in forecast accuracy.

Further information:www.mar.mil.br/dhn/chm/meteowww.vaisala.com/weather/products/weatherstations

Vaisala Automatic Weather Stations survive even in the most demanding weather conditions.

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We have committed ourselves to publicly demonstrating our responsi-bilities as a company. We report the economic, social and environmental impacts of our work and follow up on our progress. Environmental responsibility has always been close to our hearts due to our role in environmental measurement. Now we want to show our stakeholders that we conduct all our business in an equally responsible way.

Vaisala’s first Corporate Respon-sibility report contains information about the environmental impacts of our operations and products, and discusses Vaisala’s role as an employer and as a part of the commu-nities we work in. Moreover, it explains the ethical guidelines of our work, as well as our values and philanthropic activities. Our reporting is based on the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) guidelines, which is the most widely used reporting standard today.

Vaisala seeks to develop its business and operations continu-ously. In the same spirit, our Corpo-rate Responsibility activities and efforts can and will be further devel-oped. For instance, we need to make some of our reporting processes more coherent globally. We hope to deliver an even better report next year. Feedback from readers is most welcome.

Vaisala became a UN Global Compact signatory in October 2008. We are proud to support the ten principles of Global Compact and will promote these values to our stakeholders. Our CR-report includes a section that explains how we have integrated the Global Compact prin-ciples into our organization.

The report is available for download atwww.vaisala.com/corporate/corporateresponsibility

Responsible business conduct

In our view, responsible businesses go beyond what is required by law to make a positive impact on society and the environment. This is achieved by considering the full scope of economic, social and environmental impacts, and is realized through responsible management, sustain-able operations and products as well as engagement with stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and communities.

Tomi Rintanen / Corporate Responsibility Specialist / Vaisala / Helsinki, Finland

Vaisala’s first Corporate Responsibility report published

Well-established

and respected

companies are able to

demonstrate to their

stakeholders that they

stand for sustainable

development and

practices that steer the

future into a positive

direction. Vaisala is no

exception.

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Professor Dr Vilho Väisälä Awards granted in two research fields

Vaisala attends 89th AMS Annual Meeting

The Professor Dr Vilho Väisälä Award recognizes outstanding research papers involving meteorological observation methods and instru-ments. Two awards are granted bian-nually in connection with the WMO TECO/METEOREX conference and carry a cash prize of USD 10,000.

The 60th session of the World Meteorological Organization’s Execu-tive Council (June 2008) conferred the Professor Dr Vilho Väisälä Award for an Outstanding Research Paper on Instruments and Methods of Observation to O. Bousquet, P. Tabary and J. Parent-du-Châtelet (all from France) for their paper entitled “On the value of operation-

ally synthesized multiple-Doppler wind fields” published in Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 34, 2007.

The Professor Dr Vilho Väisälä Award for the Development and Implementation of Instruments and Observations was conferred to L. Lanza (Italy), M. Leroy (France), C. Alexandropoulos (France), L. Stagi (Italy) and W. Wauben (the Neth-erlands) for their paper entitled “WMO laboratory intercomparison of rainfall intensity gauges” published as IOM Report No. 84, WMO/TD No. 1304, 2006.

The TECO/Meteorex conference was organized in St. Petersburg, Russia on 27th-29th November 2008.

The Vaisala team was very active during the 89th American Meteo-rological Society events held in Phoenix, Arizona, 11- 15 January 2009. Vaisala unveiled its North American Giant Leap student intern-ship program during the Career Fair, and sponsored the WeatherFest, which was open to the general public.

During the conference, Vaisala also published a global announce-ment, stating that the company is investing in the development of an operational reference radio-sonde. Special guest speaker Dr. John W. Zillman of Melbourne, Australia, Chair of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Steering Committee and former President of the World Meteorological Organiza-tion, discussed the GCOS project at the event.

Vaisala unveiled its brand new exhibition booth, which showcased the new branding and images. Our annual cocktail reception was

another success, with over 241 attendees. Vaisala was also a proud co-sponsor of the International Dinner that followed the reception.

As the outgoing AMS President, Vaisala’s Dr. Walter Dabberdt hosted the 89th AMS Awards Banquet. Honors were granted to, among others, Vaisala’s Ronald L. Holle (AMS Fellow) and a special award to the Vaisala Sigmet team for their long-term contribution to the field of weather radar signal processing.

Vaisala also sponsored the 4th Conference on the Meteorological Applications of Lightning Data, and chaired many of the sessions.

Ronald L. Holle (left) receiv-ing his AMS Fellowship from Dr. Walter Dabberdt.

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Briefly noted Briefly noted Briefly noted Briefly noted

Vaisala acquires Aviation Systems Maintenance Inc.In line with its strategy, Vaisala seeks to grow as a service provider. The company’s US subsidiary Vaisala Inc. acquired Aviation Systems Main-tenance, Inc (ASMI), a Kansas, US based airport service company with over USD 2.6 million net sales in 2008. The acquisition closed on January

1st, 2009, and the value of the deal was USD 3.2 million.

ASMI’s core expertise is founded over 25 years of customer relationships relating to the installation and mainte-nance of instrumentation at airports.

The acquisition significantly strengthens Vaisala’s position as

a maintenance provider in the US airport weather market, comple-menting the current Vaisala contracts and adding expertise in the mainte-nance services for other instruments commonly used at airports.

Revolutionary new innovation brings significant improvements to lightning detection accuracy

Vaisala has developed a revolu-tionary solution which will signifi-cantly improve lightning detection worldwide. Through the use of a Vaisala-patented location algorithm, the Total Lightning Processor™ improves the lightning detection location accuracy by a factor of two - improving the precision range from 500 meters to 250 meters or less.

This improvement benefits many businesses and operations vulner-

able to lightning - including aviation, power utilities, forestry, insurance, meteorology, chemical processing plants, oil and gas, and more.

Additionally, the new product introduces a user-friendly web-based interface with performance tools, which can save up to 80% of the customer’s time in analyzing lightning detection sensor raw data files and overall network perfor-mance. The first solution of its kind

in the world, it also includes multiple network performance maps and provides dynamic detection effi-ciency and location accuracy maps. These give critical details of network status at any given time.

Vaisala owns and operates the US National Lightning Detection Network®. Customers worldwide rely on Vaisala’s expertise in lightning data and information systems.

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President of Finland visits Vaisala

The President of the Republic of Finland, Tarja Halonen, along with her spouse, Doctor Pentti Arajärvi, and the Governor of the Province of Southern Finland, Anneli Taina visited the Vaisala headquarters in March.

The visit commenced with a brief Vaisala overview, followed by a presentation about Vaisala’s business

in Africa. President Halonen had recently returned from a trip to West-Africa, which made the topic current to her party.

The group also paid a visit to the Vaisala weather radar laboratory and cleanroom, where the President had a chance to learn more about Vaisala’s weather radar develop-

ment project as well as the in-house high-tech sensor production. The President and her spouse showed interest in Vaisala’s know-how by interviewing our employees about their work roles and tasks as well as about their general wellbeing at Vaisala.

From left to right: Vaisala’s CEO Kjell Forsén, President Tarja Halonen and Doctor Pentti Arajärvi.

180/2009 29

Briefly noted Briefly noted Briefly noted Briefly noted

Idaho Transportation Department honors Vaisala RWIS partnership A team comprised of Idaho Transpor-tation Department (ITD) Maintenance and Operations and Vaisala has been awarded the 2009 Idaho Transpor-tation Department Excellence in Transportation Award, for their partnership on the Road Weather Information Stations (RWIS) Build Out program.

“We are proud to receive this prestigious award, which truly repre-sents the end product of our valuable partnering arrangement,” said Paul Bridge, Roads Offering Manager for Vaisala. “Vaisala has deployed 49 new RWIS sites and has renovated an

existing 27 sites in partnership with the ITD. The program included the first statewide use of non-intrusive pavement sensors, which was the most advanced technology at the time of installation. The deploy-ment decision required a high level of trust and commitment from both parties, but this is now paying high dividends, both in public safety and maintenance efficiency. The critical road weather information that ITD receives in real time via IceNet, the RWIS website site monitor, allows their maintenance staff to make the most efficient use of their resources.”

Excellences in Transportation Awards are sponsored bi-annually by the Idaho Transportation Depart-ment to recognize outstanding initiatives in developing, planning, and implementing transportation projects throughout Idaho. The ITD Maintenance & Operations award is presented to the collaborators of a project that exemplified using innovative equipment, processes and procedures; promoted partnerships and collaborations, and improved transportation safety and perfor-mance.

Vaisala.com receives a facelift

www.vaisala.com got a new look on March 3rd as the new Vaisala visual image was launched online. The English language website was first to undergo this change, and all local websites are planned to follow by the end of June.

30 180/2009

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Contact the Vaisala News team

For subscriptions, cancellations,

feedback and changes of address,

please contact the Vaisala News team

by sending an email to

vaisala.news@vaisala.com

Marikka NevamäkiEditor-in-Chief

180/2009 31

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EuropeVaisala Oyj P.O. Box 26, FI-00421 HelsinkiFINLAND Telephone: +358 9 894 91Telefax: +358 9 8949 2227

Vaisala Oyj Malmö OfficeDrottninggatan 1 DS - 212 11 MalmöSWEDENTelephone: +46 40 298 991, in Sweden: 0200 848 848Telefax.: +46 40 298 992, in Sweden: 0200 849 849

Vaisala OyjStockholm officeKanalvägen 10 C, 5trS-194 61 Upplands VäsbySWEDENTelephone: +46-8-7509420,national: 0200-848 848Telefax: +46-8-7509211,national: 0200-849 849

Vaisala GmbHHamburg OfficeSchnackenburgallee 41D-22525 HamburgGERMANYTelephone: +49 40 839 030Telefax: +49 40 839 03 110

Vaisala GmbHBonn OfficeAdenauerallee 15D-53111 BonnGERMANYTelephone: +49 228 24 9710Telefax: +49 228 249 7111

Vaisala GmbHStuttgart OfficeBahnhofstr. 3 73066 UhingenGERMANYTelephone: +49 7161 654 9440Telefax: +49 7161 654 9450

Vaisala LtdBirmingham OperationsVaisala House349 Bristol RoadBirmingham B5 7SWUNITED KINGDOMTelephone: +44 121 683 1200Telefax: +44 121 683 1299

Vaisala LtdNewmarket OfficeUnit 9, Swan LaneExningNewmarketSuffolk CB8 7FNUNITED KINGDOMTelephone: +44 1638 576 200Telefax: +44 1638 576 240

Vaisala SASParis Office2, rue StéphensonF-78181 Saint-Quentin-en-YvelinesFRANCETelephone: +33 1 3057 2728Telefax: +33 1 3096 0858

Vaisala SAS Marseille Office 2, rue de Beausset 13001 Marseille FRANCE Telephone:+33 4 8866 1751 Telefax:+33 1 3096 0858

North AmericaVaisala Inc. Boston Office10-D Gill StreetWoburn, MA 01801USATelephone: +1 781 933 4500Telefax: +1 781 933 8029

Vaisala Inc. Columbus Office1372 Oxley RoadColumbus, Ohio 43212USA

Vaisala Inc. Boulder Operations194 South Taylor AvenueLouisville, CO 80027USATelephone: +1 303 499 1701 Telefax: +1 303 499 1767

Vaisala Inc.San Jose Office6980 Santa Teresa BlvdSuite 203San Jose, CA 95119-1393USATelephone: +1 408 578 3670Telefax: +1 408 578 3672

Vaisala Inc.Tucson Operations2705 East Medina RoadTucson, Arizona 85706, USATelephone: +1 520 806 7300Telefax: +1 520 741 2848U.S. Toll Free 1 800 283 4557

Vaisala Inc.Houston Office1120 Nasa Road 1 Suite 220-EHouston, TX 77058USATelephone: +1 281 335 9955Telefax: +1 281-335-9956

Vaisala Inc.Minneapolis Office6300 34th Avenue SouthMinneapolis, MN 55450USATelephone: +1 612 727 1084Telefax: +1 612 727 3895

Vaisala Inc.Westford Office7A Lyberty WayWestford MA 01886 USATelephone: +1 978 692 9234Telefax: +1 978 692 9575

Vaisala Inc. Regional Office Canada37 De TarasconBlainvilleQC J7B 6B7CANADATelephone: +1 450 430 0880Telefax: +1 450 430 6410

Asia and PacificVaisala KKTokyo Office42 Kagurazaka 6-ChomeShinjuku-Ku Tokyo 162-0825JAPANTelephone: +81 3 3266 9611Telefax: +81 3 3266 9610

Vaisala Pty LtdMelbourne Office3 Guest StreetHawthorn, VIC 3122AUSTRALIATelephone: +61 3 9815 6700Telefax: +61 3 9815 6799

Vaisala China Ltd.Beijing OfficeFloor 2, EAS BuildingNo. 21, Xiao Yun Road Dongsanhuan Beilu Chaoyang DistrictBeijing 100027PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINATelephone: +86 10 8526 1199Telefax: +86 10 8526 1155

Vaisala Shenzhen Building 117B China Phoenix BuildingShennan AvenueFutian DistrictShenzhen C-518026PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINATelephone: + 86 755 8279 2442Telefax: + 86 755 8279 2404

Vaisala Shanghaicontact address6F 780 Cailun LuPudong New Area201203 ShanghaiPEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINATelephone: + 86 21 5132 0656Telefax: + 86 21 5132 0657

Vaisala Regional Office MalaysiaLevel 9, West BlockWisma Selangor Dredging142-C Jalan Ampang50450 Kuala LumpurMALAYSIATelephone: +60 3 2163 3363Telefax: +60 3 2164 3363

Vaisala IndiaRegus Business CenterRoom No. 418, Level 4Rectangle 1Commercial Complex D4, SaketNew Delhi 110017INDIATelephone: +91 11 4051 4056Telefax: +91 11 4051 4052

Middle EastVaisala UAE contact address P.O.Box : 9197 Khalifa Al Naboodah Building 1st Floor Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai UNITED ARAB EMIRATESTelephone +971 4 321 9112Telefax +971 4 321 9113