Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)
Definition
AVHRR is a multispectral sensor on NOAA satellites, capturing visible, near-IR, and thermal bands. It provides daily global coverage at 1.1 km resolution, primarily for weather forecasting and environmental monitoring (e.g., sea surface temps, vegetation health).
Application
Tracks wildfires via thermal bands. Monitors El Niño through sea surface temperature changes. Agricultural agencies assess crop conditions using NDVI. Climate studies use its long-term data (since 1978) for trend analysis. AVHRR’s frequent revisits make it ideal for real-time weather models.
FAQ
1. What’s AVHRR’s spatial resolution?
1.1 km at nadir.
2. How does AVHRR differ from MODIS?
MODIS has higher resolution (250m–1km) and more spectral bands.
3. What are AVHRR’s limitations?
Coarse resolution limits detailed analysis; cloud contamination in visible bands.
4. Why is AVHRR still used today?
Its long-term dataset is invaluable for climate studies.
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