SATELLITE 
INTERPRETATION 
DISCUSSION 

NOAA NESDIS
 Regional and Mesoscale
Meteorology Team
Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) Colorado State University  Fort Collins, Colorado

January 8, 1999
GOES-8 & AVHRR Data Used to Determine Ice Cover Over Western Portion of Hudson Bay

 

Figure 1
GOES-8 10.7 IR Imagery
(Loops from 0915 to 2215 UTC)

Figure 1, a loop of the GOES-8 10.7 IR imagery (0915 to 2215 UTC), shows clouds moving across Hudson Bay on December 9, 1998.  As the clouds move to the southeast, the clear skies expose warmer brightness temperatures (-3 Celsius) next to colder brightness temperatures (-15 Celsius).  4 km resolution AVHRR data from 0914 UTC shows a sharp boundary over western Hudson Bay.  (Click on images for full display.)

Figure 2
3.7 Micrometers

Figure 3
10.8 Micrometers

Figure 4
10.8 Micrometers

This is evident in both the 3.7 micrometers (Figure 2) and 10.8 micrometers (Figure 3) AVHRR imagery as well as the GOES imagery at that time.  In Figure 4, note the cyan colors over  the western portion of Hudson Bay corresponding to roughly  -15 degrees Celsius next to the red colors corresponding to roughly -3 degrees Celsius.
 

Figure 5 
10.8 Micrometers 

Figure 6
10.8 Micrometers

Figure 5 shows the temperature observations for the region. The coldest area shown in this image is in the western portion of Hudson Bay which would support ice development over the Bay.  Figure 6 shows the same imagery using a special enhancement table to focus on the warmer water temperatures adjacent to the ice in the western portion of Hudson Bay.

In summary, the satellite data (AVHRR and GOES-8) data is used in conjunction with surface observations to estimate the ice coverage in the western portion of Hudson Bay. The AVHRR imagery provided a better view of the area than the the GOES, however, the GOES imagery had better time continuity. Together, the POES and GOES satellites provide data to compliment each other.

Back to top

We welcome your comments and discussion at ramsdis@comet.ucar.edu

Previous RAMMT Satellite Interpretation Discussions