Ch 22 - Remote Sensing

Question 1

2 Types of Weather Radar

Answer 1

Ground weather radar (situated on the ground)

Airborne Weather Radar (nose cone of aircraft)

Both work through the Doppler method

The return depends on density and wetness of the precipitation

Only get some returns from precipitation

Question 2

Greatest Return in Descending Order

Answer 2

Wet Hail
Rain
Hail
Ice Crystals 
Wet Snow
Dry Hail
Dry Snow 
Drizzle

Question 3

Weather Radar does not detect

Answer 3

Clouds (except CBs and TS)
Fog
Wind / turbulence / Windshear on old system
Sandstorms
Lighting (you need a storm scope of strike finder)
Small ice crystals

Question 4

Interpreting Airborne Weather Radar

Answer 4

Magenta - Worst precipitation
Red - Loosening off
Green - Still precipitation (active) but not as strong

Before doing anything drastic, adjust the total to check the whole system to try and find a route through it

If there is a quick colour change - SEV TURB

Scalloped regions = More TURB

Hook on the end = Tornado

Zoom in and out to change the range, checking the whole system

Radar Shadowing - precipitation may hide the things behind it

Question 5

Weather Satellite Observations

Answer 5

Satellites are primarily the to locate frontal systems - especially in remote areas

There are two types: Polar Orbiters and Geostationary Orbiters

Question 6

Polar Orbiters

Answer 6

850km Up

Over the both Poles
Cross EQ at 90 degrees
Passes over you twice a day

Advantage; monitors fronts well and because it is low, you get HD images both infrared and visible

Disadvantage - Narrow Band

Question 7

Geostationary Orbit

Answer 7

35,800km up

Because it is higher, it travels much faster but stays over the same place for the whole orbit. It rotates with the earth so 24h = 1 orbit

Advantage - It monitors 1 part of the earth constantly so can see the changes and the images cover 1/3 of the earths surface

Disadvantage - Lacks detail due to the distance