Researchers at the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins are the creators of the brilliant GeoColor product you most likely see on the news. Their behind-the-scenes algorithm provides imagery used by forecasters, scientists, and media alike when covering all manner of weather and environmental stories.
“The value of color transcends beauty — it holds rich information content in a form that is readily relatable to human analysts of complex earth scenes,” said Steve Miller, director of the CIRA and developer of GeoColor. “GeoColor provides a natural entry point for understanding the power [of weather satellites] — conveying the complexity and beauty of our planet’s weather in a simple, intuitive way that everyone can appreciate.”
The innovative methodology that provide the images and videos we see is a great example of how CIRA researchers can solve puzzles to inform the public about extreme weather.
Currently available geostationary weather satellites over the U.S. only collect information in red and blue bands of visible light. Read more about how CIRA researchers worked to build out a hybrid green band including the use an additional near-infrared band, onboard U.S. satellite instruments, to impart additional sensitivity to green vegetation — a ‘hybrid’ green approach.
DID YOU KNOW? CIRA maintains a satellite library for easy access to satellite images of recent events, including GeoColor and other satellite products.
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