Composite Meteosat Image of Europe 1.

Look very carefully at the image below, read the text that explains
what you are looking at. Discuss the questions below with your
neighbour.

This image from the new MSG satellite shows a fine example of combined
imagery from the two visible (0.6µm and 0.8µm) channels and the one near
infra-red (1.6µm) channel.
First of all, the high resolution of the visible channels is very much evident and
the possibility to combine (or subtract) channels allows a clearer depiction of
land surface cover; from the remarkable clarity of features in the Sahara
desert, to the greener areas of central and eastern Europe, the Nile delta and
along the river Nile itself. The light green areas in the Po valley in northern Italy
are areas of rice fields.
The 0.6µm visible channel is also sensitive to aerosols hence the clear
appearance of sand streaming across the southern Mediterranean Sea, having
being lifted off the desert a day or so earlier in central Algeria.
Another outstanding feature is the shadow cast by the long cloud system lying
north-south over eastern Europe. This weather system had resulted in some
heavy thunderstorms over Germany the previous evening and night. The
shadow is very much evident because of the relatively low sun angle - this
image was taken at 10 UTC (UTC refers to a time scale called "Coordinated
Universal Time" (abbreviated UTC other wise known as Greenwich Mean time),
also resulting in the lower level of illumination over the Atlantic.

• Can you pick out the centre of the low pressure system?
• Where are the warm and cold fronts? How do you know?
• Where is the warm sector? Which air mass is present here?
• Where is an area of high pressure located? How can you tell?
• What are the advantages of using visible and infrared imagery
together?
• How confident do you feel that you could interpret a satellite
image in an exam?
 Infrared image of Europe 2.
Look very carefully at the image below, read the text that explains
what you are looking at. Discuss the questions below with your
neighbour.

This infrared image of Europe shows the cooler cloud tops as white against the
darker, warmer, land and sea. It is updated every 6 hours.

• What is infrared imagery based on?

• This image could be updated every six hours, is this possible over
night?
• If the clouds are shown brightly, are they cold high clouds or
warmer low clouds?
• What would be the likely weather over Spain today? What evidence
is there?
• Where over Europe is it likely to be raining?
• Why is the Mediterranean Sea shown as a lighter colour than
Spain?

• How confident do you feel that you could interpret a satellite

image in an exam?
 Haar sea fog – East coast of Britain. 3.
Look very carefully at the image below, read the text that explains
what you are looking at. Discuss the questions below with your
neighbour.

This visible image shows a haar off the British coast on the 16 April 1984. Haar
or Sea fog (advection fog) develops when warm, moist air passes over cooler
sea, or a cold current and reaches saturation point. As the fog forms over the
colder sea, breezes push it inland. This is clearly shown above where most of
the East coast of Britain is affected by this band of fog coming from the North.
Advection fog is common in spring and summer over the British Isles.

• Is the fog thick or thin? How do you know?

• What air mass is responsible for the weather characteristics?
• Is the UK influenced by high or low pressure above?
• Why would you need fairly stable air to keep the fog?

• How confident do you feel that you could interpret a satellite

image in an exam?
 Infrared image – Atlantic Ocean 4.
Look very carefully at the image below, what are looking at? Discuss
the questions below with your neighbour.

On this infrared image look very carefully! This image was taken on the 26th
February 2000.

• Where is the warmest image you can see?

• What shape is this image?
• What do you think this shows?
• What other uses does Satellite technology have?

• How confident do you feel that you could interpret a satellite

image in an exam?
Other examples to discuss 5.
An example here is a small
section showing Spitzbergen
Norway; the surrounding sea
ice, and cloud streets. It was
received on 2nd December
1994.

NB 75°N within the Arctic

Circle.

This example shows hurricane

Andrew running up the Gulf of
Mexico, 16-28 August 1992.

How confident do you

feel that you could
interpret a satellite
image in an exam?

Composite image of an
approaching
depression with its
associated winds off
the west coast of the
UK, received on 31st
January 2002.