Satellite Meteorology

For Grade 7-12

9

Monitoring the Global Environment

Overview

Technological breakthroughs in the 1990's paved the way for incredible remote sensing capabilities for the 21st century.

These enhanced capabilities are utilized by dozens of satellites continuously collecting data from multiple vantage points, allowing scientists from different countries to transcend political and geographical boundaries by sharing data and ideas towards the common mission of caring for planet Earth.

In this module, you will learn about:

1. How geostationary satellites are used to detect forest fires & monitor biomass burning
2. The connection between biomass burning and global warming
3. NASA's research satellite program designed to monitor "the pulse of the planet"
4. Using satellite images to identify Urban Heat Islands
5. How satellites tracked oil during and after the 2010 Deepwater Disaster

This Satellite Meteorology Course was developed at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) located within the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) at the UW-Madison. Funding was provided by the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) and NOAA/NESDIS.