LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Satellites: Weather Satellites
built 191 days ago
Geostationary Satellites GOES satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. They circle the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit, which means they orbit the equatorial plane of the Earth at a speed matching the Earth's rotation. This allows them to hover continuously over one position on the surface. Because they stay above a fixed spot on the surface, they provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and hurricanes.
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Satellites serve a wide variety of purposes from transmission of television signals via communication satellites to guidance and tracking systems of defense satellites. For meteorologists, satellites provide a comprehensive view of the world's weather by observing weather and the environment on a scale not possible by other means.
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Weather Satellites was designed to be used as a supplemental resource for students in the 372-255 Meteorology course. This project is part of a larger effort by the UW-Stout Physics Department to explore the application of World Wide Web technology in instruction.
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Today, severe weather is observed all around the world using the geostationary satellites that are currently flying high in orbit. The United States has two: "GOES-East" and "GOES-West." The European Space Agency placed "Meteostat" in orbit. Japan has "Himawari," and India has "Insat." Together, these five geostationary satellites form the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP). Originally proposed by the United Nations, the GARP improved worldwide weather watching.
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Today, the nation's environmental satellites are operated by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in Suitland, Maryland. NOAA's operational environmental satellite system is composed of two types of satellites: geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) for national, regional, short-range warning and "now-casting," and polar-orbiting environmental satellites (POES) for global, long-term forecasting and environmental monitoring. Both types of satellites are necessary for providing a complete global weather monitoring system. In addition, NOAA operates satellites in the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which are ... polar-orbiting satellites. NESDIS also manages the processing and distribution of the millions of bits of data and images the satellites produce each day.
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Geostationary satellites orbit at a speed that enables them to remain constantly over the same area of Earth. This position provides constant "viewing" of a specific area of Earth. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites are an important system for the United States. These satellites are maneuvered into orbits that ensure constant coverage of the Western Hemisphere. They continually produce infrared images, weather charts, ice charts, and other data important to the study of the environment.
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Weather Satellites