Development of a self‐sealing rain sampler for arid zones

Owing to evaporation from standard rain gauges in arid zones the natural isotopic abundance of deuterium and oxygen 18 in rainwater may not have been correctly determined in the past. A single‐stage rain sampler has been developed involving the use of a hermetic seal to help eliminate the evaporation problem. This gauge provides a suitable sample for isotopic analysis. A multiple‐stage rain sampler has been developed to enable the collection of successive rainfall fractions within a particular storm. Instruments of both types were distributed throughout the Negev Desert in Israel. Results from 2 years of observations involving 20 storms indicate the efficiency and reliability of the instruments developed.