Weather Satellites Launch Improvements to Forecasts

Get Inside the Science:

• Using Cutting-Edge Technology, UW Leads the Way in Weather Forecasting
• NOAA’S Geostationary and Polar-Orbiting Weather Satellites
• Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
• Steven Ackerman, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Inside Science Buzzwords:

1. Geostationary orbit –  A fixed orbit that follows the Earth’s rotation so that the satellite or other orbiting object always hovers over the same part of Earth.
2. Polar orbit – An orbit that passes over the North and South Poles.
3. Supercooled water – Water that is still liquid at temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) and can form ice on aircraft passing through it.
4. Turbulence – Random or chaotic movement of fluids such as air or water potentially disrupting aircraft flying through it.