What is air sampling on a space heater?

It is not uncommon for a tower heater, w/ thermostat to have the air sampling feature. This feature is not to be confused with a heater running and shutting off due to cleaning. The air sampling feature happens when the fan has reached the set temp and has "shut off". The heater may turn on for 5-10 seconds occasionally to sample the air to get an accurate ambient temperature reading of the room. The heater will turn itself back "off" after the air sampling has completed its cycle. This is not a defect and is completely normal.