American Meteorological Society Certification Remote Sensing and Atmospheric Observation 2

Question 1

What is the purpose of ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System) stations in the US?

Accepted Answer

Automated surface weather observations for aviation and public use

Answer

ASOS stations provide automated, continuous surface weather observations including temperature, dew point, wind, visibility, and present weather.

Question 2

What atmospheric quantity does a rawinsonde measure in addition to temperature and humidity?

Accepted Answer

Wind speed and direction throughout the vertical profile

Answer

A rawinsonde is a radiosonde tracked by GPS or radar to also provide a complete vertical wind profile through the atmosphere.

Question 3

The WSR-88D radar network in the United States is also known by what acronym?

Accepted Answer

NEXRAD

Answer

The WSR-88D network is known as NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar), the backbone of operational weather surveillance in the US.

Question 4

Ground-based microwave radiometers in meteorology are used primarily for what purpose?

Accepted Answer

Profiling temperature and humidity through the lower troposphere continuously

Answer

Microwave radiometers passively detect thermal emissions from atmospheric oxygen and water vapor to retrieve continuous temperature and humidity profiles.

Question 5

What does the Velocity Azimuth Display (VAD) technique provide from Doppler radar data?

Accepted Answer

Vertical wind profiles at the radar site

Answer

The VAD technique uses a full 360° radar scan at constant elevation to derive mean wind speed and direction as a function of altitude.

American Meteorological Society Certification Practice Test

American Meteorological Society Certification Practice Test

American Meteorological Society Certification Remote Sensing and Atmospheric Observation 2