Describe, with the aid of a figure, the orbital paths followed by geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites and explain their advantages and uses
What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER: Student answers may vary slightly but the figure needs to demonstrate that geostationary satellites (or geosynchronous satellites) orbit the equator at the same rate Earth spins and, hence, remain above a fixed spot on Earth's surface, at an altitude of nearly 36,000 km (22,300 mi). This positioning allows continuous monitoring of a specific region. Geostationary satellites are also important because they use a "real time" data system meaning that satellites transmit images to the receiving system on the ground as soon as the image is taken. Successive cloud images from these satellites can be put into a time-lapse movie sequence to show the cloud movement, dissipation, or development associated with weather fronts and storms. This information is a great help in forecasting the progress of large weather systems. Wind directions and speeds at various levels may also be approximated by monitoring cloud movement with the geostationary satellite.
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Polar-orbiting satellites closely parallel Earth's meridian lines. These satellites pass over the north and south polar regions on each revolution. As Earth rotates to the east beneath the satellite, each pass monitors an area to the west of the previous pass. Eventually, the satellite covers the entire Earth. Polar-orbiting satellites have the advantage of scanning clouds directly beneath them as they move. They can gather sharp images from polar regions where images from a geostationary satellite are distorted because of the low angle at which the satellite "sees" this region. Polar orbiters circle Earth at a much lower altitude (about 850 km) than geostationary satellites, which allows them to provide more detailed images of clouds and storms.
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Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
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