Land and Sea Observation SatellitesBy using satellite sensors for microwave, X-ray, and infrared wavelengths, valuable data can be obtained about land and sea resources. Such sensors can distinguish between land and water, cities and fields, and
corn and wheat as well as between distressed corn and vigorous corn. The U.S. satellites of the Landsat series have been used for making estimates of global wheat production, for forest and rangeland inventories, for mineral and oil exploration and geologic mapping, and for environmental monitoring and impact assessments. SPOT satellites, a series initiated in 1986 by France's space agency, are equipped with high-resolution cameras to perform comparable surveys of Earth resources for
international users. In addition, Russia is selling survey photographs through an international agent.The instrumentation of SEASAT (1978) included a radar that
measured altitude to an
accuracy of 10 cm (4 in) and wave heights from 1 to 20 m (3 to 65 ft). The satellite detected
ocean currents, tides, and storm surges. A scatterometer measured ocean-surface wind speeds from 4 to 26 m/sec (13 to 85 ft/sec) with an accuracy of 2 m/sec (7 ft/sec). Other equipment measured surface temperatures, water-vapor content in the air, rain rate, and the age, concentration, extent, and motion of sea ice.
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