How do satellites capture sophisticated meteorological data and observations, all the way from space?

Satellites are crucial to provide information on weather patterns and natural calamities, that improve weather forecasting, allow rapid evacuation incase of upcoming disasters and can dictate the movement of economically vital aviation and oil/gas transport vehicles.

Satellites provide a wide range of data for analysis, including sea and land surface temperatures, vegetation information, humidity, cloud properties and more. In turn, this can help predict and detect hurricanes, floods and fires with speed and ease, saving not only money from damage repairs, but also countless lives.

These satellites use a variety of “channels” (portions of the electromagnetic spectrum) for multiple different uses. Weather satellites are majorly known to use the following channels to aid in their collection of meteorological data.

  • Infrared (IR) channels are important for meteorological observations as these channels detect thermal radiation emitted by Earth’s surface and atmosphere. They provide valuable insights into temperature distributions across different regions. For example, weather satellites use IR sensors to detect temperature variations associated with weather systems such as cyclones. By analyzing the thermal profiles of cyclone centers relative to surrounding cloud structures, meteorologists can assess cyclone intensity and track its movement accurately.

  • Visible light channels capture imagery within the visible spectrum, allowing visual interpretation of Earth’s surface features and atmospheric phenomena. These images serve multiple purposes, from monitoring cloud patterns to tracking changes in land cover. Additionally, visible light data can reveal the presence of aerosols (small particles in the atmosphere) and atmospheric pollutants like smog, helping in assessment of air quality.

  • Microwave sensors are utilized to measure moisture content in the atmosphere, providing essential data for humidity and precipitation (different forms of water release from clouds, including rain, snow, hail and sleet) assessments. These sensors operate within microwave frequencies, allowing them to ignore presence of clouds and measure atmospheric moisture levels accurately.

  • Ultraviolet (UV) sensors contribute to ozone monitoring and atmospheric composition studies. By detecting UV radiation, weather satellites can monitor changes in ozone concentrations and atmospheric composition, essential for understanding climate dynamics and ozone layer depletion. This can contribute to mitigating problems like global warming.

Thus, satellites use a variety of sensors, specific to different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, to gain data on climate and weather patterns and systems, aiding humans in living an easier and safer life.