Progress in Primary Acoustic Thermometry at NIST: 273 K to 505 K

Published

September 1, 2003

Author(s)

Gregory F. Strouse, Dana R. Defibaugh, Michael R. Moldover, Dean C. Ripple

Abstract

The NIST Acoustic Thermometer determines the thermodynamic temperature by measuring the speed of sound of argon in a spherical cavity. We obtained the thermodynamic temperature of three fixed points on the Interna-tionalTemperature Scale of 1990: the melting point of gallium [T(Ga) = 302.9146 K] and the freezing points of indium [T(In) = 429.7485 K] and tin [T(Sn) = 505.078 K]. The deviations of thermodynamic temperature from the ITS-90 de-finedtemperatures are T -T90 = (4.7 0.6) mK at T(Ga) , T -T90 = (8.8 1.5) mK at T(In) , and T -T90 = (10.7 3.0) mK at T(Sn) , where the uncertainties are for a coverage factor of k = 1. Our results at T(In) and T(Sn) reduce the uncer-taintyof T -T90 by a factor of two in this range. The measured thermal expansion of the resonator between the triple point of water and T(Ga), and T -T90 at T(Ga) are both in excellent agreement with the 1992 determination at NIST. Thedominant uncertainties in the present data come from frequency-dependent and time-dependent crosstalk between the electroacoustic transducers. We plan to reduce these uncertainties and extend this work to 800 K.

Proceedings Title

Temperature, International Symposium | Eighth | Temperature: Its Measurement and Control in Science and Industry; Volume Seven | AIP

Volume

684

Conference Dates

October 21-24, 2002

Conference Title

AIP Conference Proceedings

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

acoustic, argon, ITS-90, speed of sound, temperature, thermodynamic

Citation

Strouse, G. , Defibaugh, D. , Moldover, M. and Ripple, D. (2003), Progress in Primary Acoustic Thermometry at NIST: 273 K to 505 K, Temperature, International Symposium | Eighth | Temperature: Its Measurement and Control in Science and Industry; Volume Seven | AIP (Accessed October 16, 2024)