| Channel No. | Central Wavelength (µm) |
Sample sub-point (E/W x N/S) Resolution (km) |
Common Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10.7 | 2.3 x 4.00 | window, longwave IR |
The 10.7 µm channel is a so-called "window channel" meaning that radiation at this wavelength is not absorbed (to any significant degree) by atmospheric gases. When we look at clouds, or the cloud-free ground, with this channel, we are "seeing" the actual temperature of the scene in the field-of-view. Channel 4 imagery has a wide variety of uses, including determination of cloud top heights, identification of cloud top features, tracking synoptic and mesoscale features at night, etc.