--- title: "Technologies: Sensors & instruments | Nexus Observatory" description: "Technologies of the Sensors & instruments platform, layer by layer: In situ sensors and instruments. Weather and environment stations to WMO practice…" url: https://observatory.global/sensors/technologies/ publisher: Nexus Observatory Inc. updated: 2026-11-02 --- [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/) / [Sensors & instruments](https://observatory.global/sensors/) / **Technologies** # The technologies behind sensors & instruments. Every technology this platform builds with, layer by layer, from the open taxonomy. Marked in red: what is moving now, each traced to its source. [Plan with us](https://observatory.global/sensors/contact/deployment/) [Architecture](https://observatory.global/sensors/architecture/) Areas · **5** Technologies · **61** Industries · **21** **01** The layered map ## Layer by layer, from the open taxonomy. Each domain this platform draws on, with its layers and the technologies in each. Open a layer for what each technology does and the standard behind it. ### In situ sensors and instruments Instruments placed in the air, water, ground and spectrum, from weather stations to seismometers, radars and cameras, with the calibration, metadata and quality control that make their readings evidence. [The full directory →](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/) ### [Meteorology (WMO No. 8 classes)](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/meteorology-wmo-no-8-classes/) Technologies · 10 - Air temperature and humidity - Atmospheric pressure - Surface wind - Precipitation - Radiation and sunshine - Visibility, cloud and present weather - Siting classification - Automatic weather stations - Cryosphere: snow, ice and permafrost - Upper-air and boundary-layer profiling ### [Air quality and atmospheric composition](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/air-quality-and-atmospheric-composition/) Technologies · 7 - Reference gas analysers - Particulate matter monitors - Low-cost sensor systems - Ambient air quality frameworks - Greenhouse gas and reactive gas monitoring - Aerosol optics and sun photometry - Volatile organic compounds and odour ### [Hydrology and water](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/hydrology-and-water/) Technologies · 7 - Water level - Discharge by velocity-area and rating curves - Acoustic Doppler current profilers (river) - Water quality sondes - Groundwater monitoring - Soil moisture and soil temperature - Hydrological data exchange ### [Ocean and coastal](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/ocean-and-coastal/) Technologies · 7 - CTD profilers - Acoustic Doppler current profilers (ocean) - Moored and drifting buoys - Argo-class profiling floats - Tide gauges and sea level - Gliders and uncrewed surface vehicles - Hydrophones and ocean acoustics ### [Seismic, geodetic, geomagnetic and radiation](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/seismic-geodetic-geomagnetic-and-radiation/) Technologies · 8 - Broadband and strong-motion seismometers - Infrasound arrays - Continuous GNSS geodetic stations - Tiltmeters, strainmeters and extensometers - Geomagnetic observatories and variometers - Ionospheric and space weather monitors - Ambient dose rate monitors - Gravimeters ### [RF, acoustics, cameras and radar](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/rf-acoustics-cameras-and-radar/) Technologies · 9 · Frontier · 1 - Spectrum monitoring receivers - Direction finding and emitter geolocation - Acoustic and noise monitoring - EO/IR cameras - PTZ and networked video systems - Weather radar - Ground surveillance and perimeter radar - Lightning detection - Event-based and neuromorphic cameras ### [Calibration, metadata and quality control](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/calibration-metadata-and-quality-control/) Technologies · 7 - Calibration laboratories and traceability - Measurement uncertainty - Field calibration and intercomparison - WIGOS metadata - Sensor and procedure descriptions - Automated quality control - Instrument lifecycle records ### [Frontier and research](https://observatory.global/technologies/sensors/frontier-and-research/) Technologies · 6 · Frontier · 6 - Quantum magnetometers and gravimeters - Distributed fibre-optic sensing - Machine-learning calibration of sensor networks - Environmental DNA autosamplers - Cosmic-ray neutron soil moisture - Smart instruments with onboard diagnostics **02** Across the network ## The whole spectrum, on the main site. [Main site Every technology domainAll domains, layers and items, with their sources.Open →](https://observatory.global/technologies/) [Main site The spectrumThe technologies of observation on one map.Open →](https://observatory.global/spectrum/) [Observatory Protocol StandardsThe open standards the protocol is composed from.Open →](https://observatory.global/protocol/standards/) **03** On this site ## Where to go next. [Sensors & instruments AreasEvery area, with its systems and standards.Open →](https://observatory.global/sensors/areas/) [Sensors & instruments ArchitectureLayers, functions and evidence.Open →](https://observatory.global/sensors/architecture/) [Sensors & instruments IndustriesThe industry sites built on this platform.Open →](https://observatory.global/sensors/industries/) [Sensors & instruments ResourcesExplainer, stories, specification and forms.Open →](https://observatory.global/sensors/resources/) ## Bring us the site. We bring the survey, the design and the crew. The form names who receives your details. [Plan a deployment](https://observatory.global/sensors/contact/deployment/) [Contact](https://observatory.global/sensors/contact/) [Nexus Observatory](https://observatory.global/)**Sensors & instruments** . Measurements that carry their own proof.[Talk to us](https://observatory.global/contact/) Sensors & instruments - [Overview](https://observatory.global/sensors/) - [Explainer](https://observatory.global/sensors/explainer/) - [Areas](https://observatory.global/sensors/areas/) - [Technologies](https://observatory.global/sensors/technologies/) - [Architecture](https://observatory.global/sensors/architecture/) - [Industries](https://observatory.global/sensors/industries/) - [Resources](https://observatory.global/sensors/resources/) - [Contact](https://observatory.global/sensors/contact/) Platforms - [Observatory Protocol](https://observatory.global/protocol/) - [Protocol & Grid](https://observatory.global/grid-services/) - [Software](https://observatory.global/software/) - [Hardware & power](https://observatory.global/hardware/) - [Sensors & instruments](https://observatory.global/sensors/) - [Connectivity](https://observatory.global/connectivity/) - [Edge compute & AI](https://observatory.global/edge-ai/) - 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