What type of radar technology is primarily used to analyze storm systems?

Weather radar is primarily used to analyze storm systems due to its ability to detect precipitation and storm characteristics in real time. This technology operates by sending out microwave signals that bounce off precipitation particles in the atmosphere, which allows meteorologists to determine not only the location and intensity of rainfall but also the structure of storms, including the movement and development of severe weather phenomena like thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Weather radar systems can differentiate between various types of precipitation, such as rain, snow, and hail, based on the returned signals, and they can also provide crucial information about wind patterns within storms. This capability is vital for issuing timely warnings and forecasts, making weather radar an essential tool in meteorology for monitoring and analyzing storm systems.

While satellite imaging provides valuable information about cloud cover and atmospheric conditions, and infrared mapping helps to analyze temperature variations in the atmosphere, neither is specifically focused on real-time precipitation analysis as weather radar is. Seismic monitoring, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with detecting earthquakes and geological activity, making it unrelated to storm analysis.