Question 2

Which POES satellite provides a greater spatial coverage in the microwave, NOAA or DMSP? (Click the button for the best answer below.)

Discussion

a) is the correct response.

The NOAA AMSU instrument scans across a swath of about 2200 km in width. The DMSP SSM/I instrument generates a swath of about 1400 km in width, which is 64% percent narrower than the swath of the AMSU. The AMSU's swath width results in gaps between adjacent orbits equatorward of 30 degrees, while for the narrower SSM/I swaths, gaps result equatorward of about 50 degrees.