Longwave IR Window Channel (10.7 micron)

Thick Cirrus Emissivity (Page 3 of 10)

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A conceptual representation of the interaction between infrared radiation at 10.7 microns and thick cirrus cloud A GOES-8 10.7 micron longwave infrared channel image showing the top of a cumulonimbus cloud

Thick cirrus clouds such as those occurring above the core of a thunderstorm are opaque to earth-emitted infrared energy. Therefore, the satellite senses only radiation emitted from cloud top. Since these clouds have an emissivity of almost 1 at 10.7 microns, the brightness temperature sensed by the 10.7 micron channel is a good indicator of the cloud top temperature.

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