Going Further

Learning how GOES satellite images relate to other meteorological maps and weather data is not within the scope of this chapter. However, there are many excellent web-based resources that can help you integrate GOES images into your study of the weather. Two such resources are highlighted here.

1. The University of Illinois WW2010 Weather World Project has a wealth of resources. Don't be fooled by the simple looking menu along the left side of the page. Each time you select one of the topics, the menu expands to show a nested set of sub-topics. That expansion continues as you select a sub-topic and navigate to additional content via buttons at the bottom of the web page.

A series of online guides includes:

• Meteorology
• Remote sensing
• Reading and Interpreting Weather Maps

In addition to the guides, the current weather section has an extensive selection of weather maps that you can compare with the embedded GOES images.

2. The National Weather Service website displays current conditions and forecasts for several meteorological parameters in a set of maps of the U.S. This is another resource that is much more expansive than what first meets the eye. Most of the maps, which are available via the set of tabs along the top of the graphic have additional resources below them. For example, below the Graphical Forecasts maximum temperature map, you'll find options for displaying five additional weather variables. Additionally, the GOES images, accessed via the Satellite tab, can easily be compared with the National Maps showing high and low pressure systems and weather fronts.

Using NASA NEO and ImageJ to Explore the Role of Snow Cover in Shaping Climate—Investigate satellite images displaying land surface temperature, snow cover, and reflected short wave radiation data from the NASA Earth Observation (NEO) website. Animate the images and compare them with the NEO ICE tool.

Using Satellite Images to Understand Earth's Atmosphere—Use ImageJ to create an animation showing the change in monthly concentration of aerosols over the course of a year and compare it to a similar animation showing change in carbon monoxide concentration.

Annotating Change in Satellite Images—Use time-series images to produce a map documenting land-use changes in China.

Analyzing the Antarctic Ozone Hole—Measure and graph the area of depleted ozone from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) images.

Measuring Distance and Area in Satellite Images—Use ImageJ to quantify change over time in satellite images.

Shrinking Forest - Growing Problem—Use time-series Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images to create a color composite image showing the oldest to most recently deforested areas in the Amazon rainforest.

Whither Arctic Sea Ice?—Animate thirty years of sea ice images, measure the ice extent each year, and then graph and analyze the results.