SatFC-G: Near-IR Bands

About the Lesson

This lesson introduces you to three of the four near-infrared imager bands on the GOES R-U ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager), focusing on their spectral characteristics and how they affect what each band observes. Discussion of the 0.86 micrometer or "veggie" near-IR band is not included here. Because of its similarity to the visible bands, information on the "veggie" band appears in the Visible and Near-Infrared Bands lesson.

On completing the lesson, you should be able to:

  • Identify the ABI's three near-infrared spectral bands (not including the 0.86 micrometer "veggie" band) and various phenomena that can be detected in the spectral regions they cover
  • Identify which of the near-IR bands is most sensitive to atmospheric absorption and describe the implications for observing clouds and surface features
  • Identify sun glint in near-IR imagery