One of the most interesting features that is detectable by the Goes-8 satellite is the desert. Don t get this confused with dessert or you will have a mouth full of sand. You should be pretty experienced with geographic detection if you have done the previous activities, so this activity, much like the previous activity, will combine all of your skills.
Deserts are interesting in satellite imagery because they can look like clouds or snow.
Deserts will have high albedos, much like a cloud or a mountain capped with snow. However, the desert will have a much higher temperature than the other features. Because we are comparing albedo and temperature, both visible and infrared channels must be used in combination to detect desert regions. The picture below shows a clear visible image of the Great Salt Desert. Notice the mountainous regions in the north, showing the characteristics discussed in the previous activities.