MOSCOW, August 10 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow scientists have suggested that the U.S. polar orbiting satellite NOAA-16 be used to measure the outgoing thermal emission of the Earth to provide more precise forecasts of heavy rainfall and hail, the Argumenty i Fakty weekly reported.
Scientists at Russia's Planeta space hydrometeorology R&D center said satellite data would help calculate the cloud amount that determines rainfall and hail formation, enabling them to estimate the intensity of the precipitation and the diameter of the hail. The fundamental parameters are the temperatures at the cloud top and at the Earth's surface right under the cloud. The temperatures can be measured by satellite radiometers, which will help meteorologists identify hail or shower clouds with 80% accuracy, provided they have efficient software and quick computers.
The NOAA-16 satellite was launched on September 21, 2000 and has been in the polar orbit since. The satellite is operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and its measurements are accessible to other scientists.
