How many times each day could you expect a NOAA or DMSP polar satellite to provide coverage over your area? (Check the boxes for all answers that apply, and leave those that do not apply unchecked. Then
click DONE.)
Discussion
Meteorological POES are in sun-synchronous orbits, returning to their starting longitude approximately every 14 orbits/24 hours. Most areas on the earth will see coverage by one satellite every 12 hours, once as the satellite travels southward across the equator, and 12 hours later when the satellite travels northward across the equator. More frequent coverage is possible at higher latitudes where adjacent POES orbits overlap. At lower latitudes coverage might occur less than twice per day due to the positioning of gaps between adjacent orbits. These gaps are dependent upon the swath width and drift slightly from day to day.