Advanced meteorological satellite
- Paper ID
IAF-67-77
- author
- company
International Business Machines Corporation, Space Systems Center
- country
U.S.A.
- year
1967
- abstract
Meteorology and aeronomy deal with the thermal, dynamic, and chemical processes that govern the behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere. These disciplines predict weather, warn of severe atmospheric disturbances, and determine air pollutants. The fundamental objectives of this is to: (a) protect life; (b) preserve health, promote safety, and contribute to convenience and general well being; (c) increase efficiency in the production of goods and services. The specific objectives of U.S. research program in the atmospheric sciences and the government agencies responsible for attaining them, are shown in Fig. 1. These objectives can be summarized in the following technical goals : (a) Accurate warning of meteorological disasters. (b) Improved length and accuracy of weather forecasts. (c) Weather and climate modification. (d) Weather and climate control. (e) Prediction, modification, and control of atmospheric pollution. The problem of predicting the atmospheric behavior is synonymous with, “understanding” the atmosphere. If meteorologists “understood” the atmospheric interactions perfectly, one set of observations at a particular time should enable them to predict the course of atmospheric processes, including all weather phenomena all over the globe. In theory, from knowledge of the basic laws, it is possible to extrapolate the motions of air masses from a single set of observations. In practice, atmospheric interactions are so complicated that the predictions are valid only for a short time, making frequent observations essential. Both the quality and the scale of these observations are important. Quality describes the physical quantity being measured—i.e. the atmospheric pressure or the relative humidity—and the precision to which it is measured. The term “scale” means the fineness with which these observations are carried out on a horizontal, vertical, or time scale.