Remote Sensing and Microwave Systems

What do microwave radiometers measure?

What can be inferred from microwave radiometer measurements?

What is typically not sensitive to?

What type of clouds can be investigated using microwave radiometers?

What is measured by the microwave radiometer to provide information about the atmosphere?

What is required for microwave radiometers to measure the emission of microwave radiation?

What can be measured using microwave radiometers when appropriate detection frequencies are used?

What is not retrieved from microwave radiometer measurements?

What is the purpose of microwave radiometers in the context of cloud research?

What is the name of the organization that provides information about microwave radiometers?

Microwave Scatterometers

Used for monitoring sea ice and detecting land contamination.
QuikScat scatterometer is a key example in the study of ocean and atmospheric phenomena.

Microwave Altimeters

Altimeters, also known as altitude meters, measure an object's height above a stable reference point.
The process of measuring altitude is termed altimetry, while bathymetry deals with depth below sea level.
Operating principle involves transmitting microwave pulses, measuring the round-trip time to calculate distance from the sensor to the surface.
Current and future radar altimeters are crucial for observing trends in Earth's ice masses, particularly for assessing Arctic sea ice changes linked to global warming.
Satellite altimetry aids in mapping sea surface wind speeds and significant wave heights, which are essential for weather forecasting and climate studies.

Microwave Radiometers

Measure thermal radiation of the atmosphere to ascertain water vapor and liquid water content.
Provide temperature profiles of the lower troposphere, aiding in understanding atmospheric conditions.
Limited sensitivity to thermal radiation of ice, focusing on retrieving data regarding water vapor and liquid water, important for studying mixed-phase clouds.

Test your knowledge of remote sensing and microwave systems, including scatterometers and altimeters, used in various applications such as sea ice and land contamination. Learn about the effects of weather conditions on these systems and more.