radiosonde
C1-C2 / Very Low Frequency (Specialist)Technical / Scientific
Definition
Meaning
A small, expendable instrument package suspended below a weather balloon that transmits meteorological data (e.g., temperature, pressure, humidity) by radio to a ground station.
The instrument system used for upper-air atmospheric observation; by extension, the method of collecting vertical profile data of the atmosphere using balloon-borne telemetry.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A compound noun (radio + sonde). The concept is highly specific to meteorology and atmospheric science. The 'sonde' part (from French for 'probe') is key to its meaning of an instrument that probes or explores.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Purely technical, neutral term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in general use but standard within meteorology in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The <noun> radiosonde measured/transmitted/sent <data>.They launched/found/used a radiosonde.Data from/obtained by a radiosonde.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in contexts of weather data services or instrument manufacturing.
Academic
Core term in meteorology, atmospheric physics, and climatology research papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Replaced by 'weather balloon' in general conversation.
Technical
Standard, precise term for the instrument package in operational meteorology, aviation weather, and scientific fieldwork.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The meteorologists will radiosonde the atmosphere at noon.
- The station radiosondes twice daily.
American English
- We need to radiosonde ahead of the storm front.
- The network radiosondes regularly to collect data.
adverb
British English
- Data was collected radiosondely. (Highly artificial/rare)
- The instrument package transmitted radiosondely. (Artificial)
American English
- They measured the profile radiosonde-style. (Artificial)
- Information was gathered, as it were, radiosondely. (Artificial)
adjective
British English
- The radiosonde programme provides crucial data.
- Radiosonde technology has advanced significantly.
American English
- The radiosonde data is fed into the model.
- A radiosonde launch site is located at the airfield.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Scientists use weather balloons. (Simplified concept)
- A tool on a balloon tells us about the weather.
- A special instrument called a radiosonde sends weather information from high up.
- The data from the weather balloon helped predict the storm.
- Before the hurricane made landfall, meteorologists launched a radiosonde to profile the atmosphere's instability.
- The radiosonde's transmitted data showed a sharp drop in humidity at 5000 metres.
- The climatologist correlated the anomaly in the jet stream with inconsistent readings from the regional radiosonde network.
- Advances in radiosonde miniaturisation have allowed for more frequent and cost-effective upper-air sampling.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RADIO sends a PROBE' - A RADIOsonde uses radio to send data from a probe (sonde) in the sky.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SCIENTIFIC MESSENGER (it ascends into the unknown and sends back reports).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'радиозонд' in non-technical English contexts, as it's overly specific. In everyday talk, 'weather balloon' is more appropriate.
- Do not confuse with 'radar' (радар).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'radio sonde' (should be one word or hyphenated).
- Using it to refer to the balloon itself (the balloon carries the radiosonde).
- Pronouncing 'sonde' to rhyme with 'pond' in American English (it's /sɑːnd/).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a radiosonde?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The weather balloon is the latex or neoprene balloon that carries the radiosonde instrument package aloft. The radiosonde is the payload that takes measurements and transmits them.
Typically, a radiosonde ascent lasts about 90 minutes, reaching altitudes of 20-30 km before the balloon bursts. The radiosonde then descends by parachute.
Sometimes. They are designed to be expendable, but many have a mailbag or return instructions. Members of the public occasionally find and return them.
A rawinsonde is a specific type of radiosonde that measures wind speed and direction (via radar or radio direction-finding) in addition to pressure, temperature, and humidity.