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CDC URE > 5B-3 METSAT > Flashcards

5B-3 METSAT Flashcards

0
Q

The ratio of the total amount of radiation reflected from an object to the total amount of incident radiation is called

A

Reflectivity

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1
Q

A theoretically perfect absorber and emitter of radiation is

A

A black body

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2
Q

Which law says that the amount of radiation emitted by a black body at a given wavelength is proportional to it’s temperature?

A

Planck’s law

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3
Q

METSAT imagery is more advantageous than synoptic reports because it

A

Is an observation that occurs more frequently

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4
Q

Why is animated looping METSAT imagery an advantage?

A

This allows you to see system motion and the interaction between different pressure systems

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5
Q

The inclination angle and the altitude of the polar orbiting satellite allow for global coverage every

A

12 hours

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6
Q

The geosynchronous satellite stays in position because of a combination of

A

centrifugal force and gravity

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7
Q

Which is NOT a geosynchronous satellite?

A

DMSP

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8
Q

Which is a factor that affects the amount of brightness measured by visible METSAT imagery?

A

Angle of the sun

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9
Q

Most METSAT sensors are designed so that the visual imagery is a combination of

A

Visual and near infrared wave lengths

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10
Q

With water vapor imagery, why do middle and high level moisture affect the sensor much more than low-level moisture?

A

Absorption is highest between 610 to 240 mb

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11
Q

Which is NOT a use for water vapor imagery?

A

Determining the thickness of mid and upper-level clouds
USES: identifying potential thunderstorm areas, determining the PFJ and STJ, identifying circulation centers, troughs, ridges, and wind max

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12
Q

Which far IR enhancement curve is a good all-purpose curve we most commonly use for identifying convective activity?

A

MB curve

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13
Q

Which far IR enhancement curve was designed for forecasters along the US west coast to enhance weather system cloud tops over the Pacific Ocean?

A

HF curve

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14
Q

The temperature an object appears to have when we measure the intensity of it’s emitted radiation at a particular wavelength describes the

A

Brightness temperature

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15
Q

How many channels are sensed by special sensor microwave/imagery (SSM/I)?

A

7

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16
Q

What is the scan width of the special microwave/imagery (SSM/I) at the earth’s surface?

A

1400 kilometers

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17
Q

In what two forms are special sensor microwave/imagery (SSM/I) products available?

A

Sensor data records (SDRs)

Environmental data records (EDRs)

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18
Q

What special sensor microwave/imagery (SSM/I) product form is derived from SDRs and contains environmental parameters directly usable by oceanographers?

A

Environmental data records (EDRs)

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19
Q

The processing of sensor data records (SDR) into emissivity data record (EDR) depends on the

A

Surface type

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20
Q

Integrated water vapor content is calculated only over points classed as water. However, if the rain rate or cloud water content values exceed preset limits, what happens to WV values?

A

WV is not calculated

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21
Q

For determining trafficability estimates, Army ground units are interested in

A

Soil moisture (SM)

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22
Q

What tropical cyclone phenomena is best detected using special sensor/imagery (SSM/I)?

A

Near-gale and gale force winds

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23
Q

Straight-line winds of a constant wind speed would characterize a wind field where the only type of pure motion occurring is

A

Translation

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24
Q

What is the axis of most rapid stretching where the air parcels are traveling away from the col called?

A

Axis of dilatation

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25
Q

What are the two main types of motion responsible for system perspective winds?

A

Rotation and deformation

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26
Q

What types of winds are responsible for determining the shape of cloud masses on satellite imagery?

A

System perspective winds

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27
Q

In relation to the coldest cloud tops, where does the heaviest precipitation from synoptic-scale systems tend to fall?

A

Along the southern edge

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28
Q

A series of aligned cloud elements, nearly all of which are connected with a general width of less than 1 degree of latitude, is called a

A

Cloud line

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29
Q

Cloud streets are very similar to cloud lines except the

A

Elements are not connected

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30
Q

What two fog types can we best discern on METSAT imagery?

A

Sea and radiation fog

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31
Q

On far IR imagery, the cellular or textured appearance of stratocumulus clouds may not be observable due to the

A

Sensor resolution

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32
Q

The size and shape of a cumulonimbus cloud’s anvil cirrus are determined by the

A

Strength of the upper-level winds

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33
Q

With what kind of windflow are open-cell cumulus clouds associated?

A

Cyclonic or straight-line flow

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34
Q

Which far IR enhancement curve helps to identify mid-level clouds?

A

MB curve

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35
Q

The wind speeds in transverse bands are usually greater than or equal to

A

80 knots

36
Q

It is easier to distinguish snow from cloud cover with a low sun angle because of the

A

Shadows from the clouds

37
Q

When do haze, pollution, and aerosol appear on FIR imagery?

A

Only if they are at high altitudes or in large concentrations

38
Q

Sun glint typically occurs under

A

A stable condition with light or calm winds

39
Q

What is the terminator phenomenon in METSAT imagery?

A

The transition line from day to night

40
Q

What do we commonly use translation to measure?

A

Speed of lows

41
Q

The horizontal axis where air parcels are moving away from the col is called the axis of

A

Dilatation

42
Q

When you interpret METSAT imagery, what is the first thing that you must do?

A

Identify the cloud pattern

43
Q

When you interpret METSAT imagery, what is the second thing you must do?

A

Determine the wind flow

44
Q

An unique characteristic of the baroclinic leaf is the

A

“V” notch in the tail of the leaf

45
Q

What is the comma-shaped low to mid-level cloudiness in a comma cloud called?

A

Vorticism comma clouds

46
Q

Where do cirrus streaks form?

A

Parallel to, and on the equator ward side of, the jet stream flow

47
Q

Where is the jet stream axis located in relation to the baroclinic zone cirrus?

A

1 degree latitude on the poleward side of the cloud edge

48
Q

How does WV imagery show the strengthening of a jet stream?

A

The dark band (jet stream) becomes darker and wider

49
Q

What is occurring when you see a bulge or slight “S” shape develop and move along the back side of the frontal cloud band?

A

A wave is developing on the front

50
Q

What is taking place in the atmosphere when enhanced cumulus starts to take on a comma-cloud shape?

A

The minor short-wave trough associated with the enhanced CU is developing into a major short-wave trough

51
Q

Where are upper lows associated with the comma cloud structure positioned?

A

Slightly west of the center of the swirl of upper-level cloudiness within the deformation zone cirrus

52
Q

The deformation zone cirrus associated with a cut-off low is normally stretched in

A

Northeast-to-southwest direction

53
Q

It is easier to pick out vorticity maximums over water than land because of the

A

Abundance of convective clouds over the moisture source

54
Q

What causes baroclinic leaf cloud patterns?

A

Mid-level deformation ahead of the jet maximum, upstream from the leaf

55
Q

What are organized, persistent areas of deep convection noted in METSAT imagery during the warm season called?

A

Mesoscale convective complexes (MCC)

56
Q

What does the Dvorak method of tropical cyclone analysis describe?

A

Tropical cyclone development in terms of day-by-day changes in the cloud pattern of the storm and it’s environment

57
Q

What do we use the T number in the Dvorak method of tropical cyclone analysis to describe?

A

Rate of development or dissipation of a tropical cyclone

58
Q

In operational practice, what do we use to describe the intensity of a tropical storm?

A

CI number

59
Q

When interpreting clouds in the lower troposphere, what is the first thing you must do?

A

Identify the cloud pattern

60
Q

When interpreting clouds in the lower troposphere, what can you use to help determine the low-level windflow?

A

Terrain effects

61
Q

It is hard to initially position an extratropical surface low because it’s embedded in

A

Baroclinic zone clouds

62
Q

An open-cell cumulus field in the shape of elongated doughnuts is associated with windspeeds of

A

11 to 20 knots

63
Q

Leeside clearing along the eastern slopes of the Rockies and the Appalachian Mountains indicates the winds

A

Cross the mountain ridge line at an angle of greater then 45 degrees

64
Q

What happens to cumulus clouds that develop upwind of a lake and over warm land in the summer as they move over the comparatively cooler lake?

A

They dissipate as they become cooled from below

65
Q

Fronts are easier to identify over water on METSAT imagery then over land because

A

More moisture is available for cloud formation along the frontal boundary

66
Q

With a warm front, the amount and type of cloudiness depends on the amount of

A

Available moisture and the stability of the warm air

67
Q

The type of cloudiness with a stationary front depends on the

A

Stability of the warm air

68
Q

At what state of development of an extratropical low does the dry a lot begin to wrap around the low?

A

Intensification stage

69
Q

To find the position of a surface baroclinic high over land in the late fall to early spring, what must you first determine?

A

Low-level wind flow

70
Q

Except for possible convection along the cold front, which conveyor has the coldest (highest) cloud tops associated with it?

A

Warm conveyor belt (WCB)

71
Q

Which conveyor belt forms this comma cloud head?

A

Warm conveyor belt (WCB)

72
Q

Which statement describes a type A comma cloud pattern?

A

PFJ is continuous and crosses the comma cloud system at, or north of, the triple point

73
Q

Which statement describes a type B comma cloud pattern?

A

Deformation zone cirrus is approximately the same height as baroclinic zone cirrus and is much thicker

74
Q

If the PFJ lies in the surge region of the comma cloud system, the PFJ speed maximum is located in the

A

Dry slot on the equatorward side of the 500 mb low

75
Q

During the initial stage of development of a frontal wave, the baroclinic zone cloud system (frontal cloud band) begins to

A

Widen

76
Q

During which stage of development of a frontal wave does the low become identifiable in the upper levels by the dry slot wrapping around the low?

A

Mature stage

77
Q

What cloud pattern develops into a comma cloud 75 percent of the time?

A

Baroclinic leaf

78
Q

During what phase of development of a cold-air vortex to mid-level clouds, which are associated with a short-wave trough, begin to form the vorticity comma cloud?

A

Phase two

79
Q

When you estimate sea-level pressures using METSAT imagery, where must you locate the baroclinic lows associated with comma clouds?

A

From 40 deg N and poleward

80
Q

At what estimated sea-level pressure would a low be characterized by a cloud band wrapped once around the low center?

A

970 to 979 mb

81
Q

During the development of a cut-off low, after the low becomes cut off from the cold air and the PFJ, what cloud type develops?

A

Deformation zone cirrus

82
Q

What factors determine the vertical development of the clouds associated with the valley breeze?

A

Availability of moisture and the stability of the air

83
Q

The mesoscale low-level convergence boundary created by the cooler, moister air moving inland over the warmer land during the day is is know as

A

Sea breeze front

84
Q

What causes bow waves?

A

When a low-level cloud field is disrupted by the low-level wind flow being diverted around an obstacle such as an island in the ocean

85
Q

What cloud created by a barrier appears on visual imagery as a white swirling cloud?

A

Karman vortices

86
Q

Anomalous cloud lines form in

A

A stable, moist marine air layer in a light anticyclonic wind flow

87
Q

What causes the formation of stratocumulus lines?

A

Low-level instability

CDC URE (9 decks)

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