Advantages

Having examined several RGBs, the benefits of using them should be clear.

• They combine different channels to highlight atmospheric and surface features that are harder to distinguish with single channel images alone; each channel usually represents a particular wavelength although channel combinations or differences can also be used.
• RGB processing can use channels throughout the spectrum, from the visible and infrared to the passive microwave; for this reason, RGBs are often called ‘multispectral;’ they combine information from different wavelength regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
• RGB technology produces intuitive, realistic-looking products that can reduce ambiguities and simplify interpretation, making them useful for a wide range of users.
• RGBs can be overlaid with quantitative information such as NWP output, radar, and synoptic observations, enabling far more sophisticated analysis and interpretation.
• A new generation of satellite imaging instruments is coming online; incorporating more spectral channels, helping improve RGBs, and offering new options for users to view and analyze a variety of features and complex processes and interactions.