Metr Lab #9 Satellite Imagery

The visible spectrum covers less than half an octave

Blackbody radiation =f(Temperature)

Earth’s atmosphere absorbs much infrared radiation

Radiation from the sun peaks in the visible part of the spectrum where absorption is low  m Radiation from any object near the earth’s temperature peaks in the long infrared where there is another “window.” 10.7  m. Some satellites receive radiation from earth at other IR wavelengths. (3.9, 6.5, & 13.3  m.) The weather satellites we are mainly concerned use visual and IR. See SatellitePowerPoint.ppt