OPERATIONAL USE OF POLAR ORBITTING SATELLITE IMAGERY IN THE PRAIRIE AVIATION AND ARCTIC WEATHER CENTRE

Satellite imagery - and in particular AVHRR imagery - is a key data source for the meteorologists of the Arctic Weather Centre in what is otherwise a data sparse area. Surface weather stations are few and far between. There are no weather radars nor is there, for example, an array of lightning sensors "north of 60N". The acquisition and processing - and sharing of raw data and processed imagery internally and externally - of AVHRR imagery from an in-house satellite receiver in Edmonton and a shared facility in Resolute and the subsequent mapping, compositing and enhancement techniques for operational use by the meteorologists will be presented.