IWM 2104: Agricultural Meteorology and

Climate Change

Topic: Measurement of Humidity

Dr. Khalid Mahmud

Associate Professor
Dept. of Irrigation and Water Management
Bangladesh Agricultural University
 Humidity and its significance
 The humidity in the air is usually measured in terms of relative
humidity, which is the percentage of moisture the air is holding
compared to the maximum it can hold at a given temperature.
 Relative humidity is important because it influences weather
events like cloud formation and precipitation.

 Clouds form when the air cools enough to cause water vapor
molecules to stick together or change phase and condense.
 For precipitation to occur, the air has become saturated and
cannot hold any more water and released into the atmosphere
as rain, snow, sleet or hail.
 Terminology related to Humidity
i. Mixing ratio r: The ratio between the mass of water vapor
and the mass of dry air;
ii. Absolute humidity Q: The weight of water vapor present per
unit volume of air;
iii. Specific humidity q: The ratio of the mass of water vapor to
the mass of moist air;
iv. Dew point temperature Td: Dew point is the temperature at
which air must be cooled for saturation to occur (dew to
form).
v. Relative humidity U: The ratio in percent of the observed
vapor pressure to the saturation vapor pressure with respect
to water at the same temperature and pressure;
vi. Vapor pressure e: The partial pressure of water vapor in air;
vii. Saturation vapor pressures ew and ei: Vapor pressures in air
in equilibrium with the surface of water and ice, respectively
 Units of Measurement
 Units and symbols of some of the commonly used quantities
associated with water vapor in the atmosphere
 Dew point and Relative Humidity
The difference between the air temperature and the dew point
indicates whether the relative humidity is high or low.

 When the air temperature and the dew point are

dramatically different, the relative humidity is low.

 When the air temperature and the dew point are close to
the same value, the relative humidity is high.

 If the two numbers are equal, then relative humidity is at

100 percent.
 Measurement of Relative Humidity
 The instrument to measure the humidity is called
Hygrometers, which are of several types:

1. Psychrometer
a. Simple or stationary psychrometer.
b. Assmann psychrometer.
c. Sling or Whirling psychrometer

2. Hair hygrometer
3. Hair hygrograph
4. Electrical Hygrometer
5. Spectral Hygrometer
 Working principle of Psychrometer
Psycrhometer measures humidity based on the difference
between wet- bulb and dry-bulb temperatures
Difference in the dry-bulb and wet-bulb readings is due to the
change of rate of evaporation from the surface of the wet bulb.
When water covers the bulb of a thermometer (wet-bulb), latent
heat is removed from the surface of the bulb as the water
evaporates, and the wet-bulb temperature becomes lower than
the air (dry-bulb) temperature
Rate of evaporation is inversely proportional to the humidity in
the atmosphere. When the humidity is low (high), the evaporation
rate will be high(low) resulting more (less) decrease in the wet
bulb temperature.
At 100 % humidity the temperature of dry and wet bulb will be
same due to no water evaporation from the wet bulb and hence
no cooling effects occur.
 1 (a) Simple or Stationary Psychrometer
 A simple psychrometer consists
of two mercury-in-glass
thermometers of identical form
and size exposed in a Stevenson’s
Screen.
The bulb of a thermometer is
covered by one end of a piece of
fine muslin cloth, the other end of
the cloth is dipped in a distilled or
pure water. This is called wet bulb
thermometer and indicates the
temperature of the air under
saturated conditions.
 1 (a) Simple or Stationary Psychrometer
 The other thermometer, called dry bulb thermometer, indicates
current air temperature
Moisture in muslin of wet bulb evaporates and the latent heat is
absorbed by evaporation process causing the temperature of the
wet bulb thermometer to fall
When the unsaturated air passes over the bulb of the
thermometer, water evaporates depending on the relative
humidity and rate of air movement
The difference between the readings of the wet and dry bulb
thermometers is called wet bulb depression
 From the readings of the dry bulb and wet bulb or wet bulb
depression, the relative humidity (also dew point temperature ) can
be found with the help of calibrated hygrometric or psychrometric
tables
 Estimation of relative humidity from dry and
wet bulb temperatures
 Modified Regnault’s formula is used for calculation of vapor
pressure and thus the hygrometric tables.
Hygrometric tables calculated from these equations are applicable
only when the thermometers are in a Stevenson Screen or exposed
to a gentle breeze

For temperatures of wet bulb below 0 °C:

For temperatures of wet bulb above 0 °C:

 Estimation of relative humidity from dry and
wet bulb temperatures
The relative humidity (U) is calculated as:

where, U = Relative Humidity; X = Pressure of vapor present

in the air; F = Saturation vapor pressure at temperature of
the Dry Bulb.
Psychrometric Table
Psychrometric Table
Psychrometric Table used at Mymensingh
weather station
 1 (b) Assmann Psychrometer

 It is the best/most suitable

psychrometer for humidity
measurement in micro-
meteorological research of crop
plants

 This is portable and also

called the aspiration
thermometers.

 In this instrument, two

sensitive calibrated mercury-in-
glass thermometers are
enclosed in a double walled
radiation screen
 1 (b) Assmann Psychrometer
Usually nickel plated coaxial tubes, which are thermally
insulated from the rest of the apparatus, are used to minimize
the radiation effects.
 Of the two thermometers, one is dry bulb and the other one is
covered with thin muslin cloth, which is moistened with distilled
water every time the instrument is used
To ensure the adequate opportunity of evaporation from the
wick of the wet bulb, the psychrometer is aspired by a clock
work motor housed in the casing.
 In the latest version, a small direct current motor is also being
used.
The wet bulb must be on the downstream side of the dry bulb
to prevent the cold air from wet bulb impinging on the dry bulb
 1 (b) Assmann Psychrometer

 Sprung psychrometric formula, is derived for the Assmann type

aspirated psychrometer
1 (b) Assmann Psychrometer
1 (b) Assmann Psychrometer
 1 (c) Whirling or Sling Psychrometer
 The sling psychrometer consists of a dry bulb thermometer
and a wet bulb thermometer mounted side by side in a
protective case that is attached to a handle by a swivel
connection so that the case can be easily rotated
 1 (c) Whirling or Sling Psychrometer
The dry-bulb thermometer is directly exposed to air and
measures the actual temperature of the air.

The bulb of the wet-bulb thermometer, mounted a little lower

than dry bulb thermometer, is covered by a wick thoroughly
wetted by distilled water at the time of observation. It measures
the temperature of the moist air under saturation.

The sling psychrometer is manually rotated in the air for

approximately one or two minutes after which readings from
both the thermometers are taken. This process is repeated
several times until both temperatures stabilize.

Measurements of the air temperature (dry bulb) and the wet

bulb depression can be used to determine relative humidity and
dew point.
 2. Hair hygrometer and its principle
When air is dry, cells in the hair are close together. But, when
the air is humid, the space between the cells absorbs water vapor
and the hair thickens and lengthens.
The contraction and expansion of the hair with changes in
moisture is used to measure the humidity
 Description and operation of a Hair Hygrometer
This instrument employs a bundle of hairs hat are arranged
parallel inside a socket with enough gap or space between them
to give free access to air sample

 The hair strand is rigidly fixed at one end and at the other end,
it is connected to arm maintained under slight tension by a spring

As relative humidity of surrounding air increases or decreases,

human hair becomes longer and shorter, respectively.

These changes in the length are used to operate the pointer,

which moves because of the movement in the lever mechanism.

The pointer moves over a calibrated scale, graduated from 0 to

100 percent, through pivot to give direct indication of humidity
 3. Hair hygrograph and its principle

Principle is same as hair

hygrometer; however, to
record the continuous
changes in relative
humidity during the hours
of a day or week, a
recording mechanism is
used.

When the hygrometer is

transformed into a self
recording device, it is
called as a hygrograph
Description and operation of the hair hygrograph
A bundle of hairs is fixed on the levers and any change in the
length of hair, proportional to the change of relative humidity, is
transmitted to the pen arm

A pen at the end of the pen arm is in contact with a paper chart
fitted around a rotating cylinder and registers the angular
displacement of the arm.

The cylinder rotates about its axis at a constant rate determined

by a mechanical clock movement. The rate of rotation is usually
one revolution either per week or per day.

The chart has a scaled time axis (X-axis) that extends round the
circumference of the cylinder and a scaled humidity axis (Y-axis)
parallel to the axis of the cylinder, which normally stands vertically.
 Precautions for the hair hygrograph

The chart is replaced everyday or week

The dust on the hair should be cleaned and washed

regularly. The hair should not be touched with hand

The instrument should be exposed inside the Stevenson’s

screen
4. Electrical resistive and capacitive hygrometers
 Certain hygroscopic materials exhibit changes in their electrical
properties in response to a change in the ambient relative
humidity with only a small temperature dependence.

 Electrical sensors are increasingly used for remote-reading

applications, particularly where a direct display of relative
humidity is required.

5. Spectral hygrometer
 A spectral hygrometer determines the amount of precipitable
moisture in a given region of the atmosphere by measuring
the attenuation of radiant energy caused by the absorption
bands of water vapor.
Psychrometric Chart
Psychrometric Chart