The NOAA satellites and instruments in the POES series are to collect environmental information. The data supports many applications, including the following:

• Aerosols
• Albedo and reflectance
• Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperature
• Liquid water and precipitation rate
• Multi-purpose imagery (land and ocean)
• Radiation budget
• Sea ice cover, edge and thickness
• Snow cover, edge and depth
• Surface temperature (land and ocean)
• Vegetation