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SYSTEM
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Figure 16 LP-80 ceptometer
The LP-80 can be operated in environments with temperatures from 0 to 50 °C and in relative
humidities of up to 100%. The LP-80 operates on four AAA alkaline batteries. The instrument
ships with an RS-232 interface cable for downloading data to a computer.
3.2.1 PROBE
The probe contains 80 independent sensors, spaced 1 cm apart. The photosensors measure
photosynthetically active radiation in the 400- to 700-nm waveband.
For some applications, the entire probe may not be needed. The LP-80 allows sections of
the probe to be turned off, starting from the base and continuing up the probe to the tip
(
3.2.2 EXTERNAL PAR SENSOR
The LP-80 has an external PAR sensor that attaches to the hole in the bubble level and
connects to the port on the right side of the LP-80. It allows for simultaneous above- and
below-canopy PAR readings without moving the LP-80 above and below the canopy. The
LP-80 uses this sensor to calibrate the probe, ensuring that the PAR response between the
external sensor and the probe are the same (
The external quantum sensor provided with the LP-80 is the Apogee SQ110. This sensor
offers good accuracy; however, the biggest potential error is often caused by small changes
in the position of the sensor. The sensor must be exactly horizontal for the most accurate
measurements.