This module in the series on polar satellite meteorology provides a closer look at the capabilities, products, and applications available to operational weather forecasting with the present suite of microwave instruments onboard both NOAA and DMSP satellites. Passive remote sensing of microwave radiation brings to the meteorology community exciting observation capabilities not possible in the infrared or visible. By probing atmospheric and surface features in the presence of clouds, microwave imaging and sounding instruments offer a broad range of unique and complementary meteorological datasets and products. The sequence of topics progresses from the basic concepts and principles of microwave remote sensing, to products and applications useful for daily real-time analysis and short-term forecasting of weather events from tropical to polar latitudes.

• A list of frequently asked questions about microwave data and products
• Information on POES orbits and coverages
• Basic concepts of passive microwave remote sensing
• Examples, algorithms, strengths, and limitations of forecast products and applications
  • Selected microwave imagery from the Advanced Microwave Sensing Unit (AMSU) 23-, 31-, and 89-GHz channels and analogous Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) channels
  • Total precipitable water
  • Cloud liquid water
  • Rain rate (oceanic vs. land)
  • Sea surface wind speed
  • Sea ice
  • Snow cover
  • Land surface temperature
  • Soil moisture
• Microwave product summary table and real-time links
• Module summary

The module begins with a quick review of POES orbits and typical coverages. Included in this section is a discussion of how different scan strategies for NOAA and DMSP microwave instruments impact product development and interpretation.

The key concepts describing how microwave radiation interacts with the earth's atmosphere, clouds, and surface are explored in section 4, Microwave Remote Sensing. These concepts provide a fundamental basis for understanding how microwave products are formed as well as product strengths and limitations.

A suite of microwave products (listed above) is explored in section 5 Products and Applications. Several products are shown as captured off of the NWS AWIPS (Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System). Accompanying each product summary is a discussion of that product's meteorological application, a brief summary of how the product is formed, and specific information about product accuracy and known limitations. The product summaries will help forecasters assess a product's potential application to specific analysis and forecasting challenges within their area of responsibility.

Tables are available for quick reference to summaries of key product issues concerning status, quality, and availability. Access is also provided to several real-time Internet sites, allowing for browsing of select operational and experimental datasets.

A self-test is provided at the end of the module to help you review what you've learned by completing the module.