Review of the application of satellites to meteorology

The increase in meteorological knowledge during the past half-century has not been accompanied by a parallel increase in accuracy of forecasts. This has been due not only to a continuing absence of information from certain vital areas but also to a more fundamental and scientific difficulty of inadequate understanding of meteorological processes, necessitating reliance on empirical and largely subjective forecasting techniques. In this paper reference is made to the potential of the weather satellite, by television camera and radiation sensor, to remove the former of these limitations by extending the field of observation from the present one-quarter of the earth 's surface to the entire globe. The importance of radiation measurements by satellite sensors for extended range forecasting by heat balance considerations is also discussed together with other applications of these measurements. It is concluded that while availability of observations on a global basis from weather satellites will be a major advance, it will not p rove a panacea f or all meteorological ills. The additional requirement is a better understanding of meteorological processes. This is still a long term prospect but close study and interpretation of photographed cloud patterns is one avenue which promises to lead to this result and consequently to better weather prediction.