[Image: miniature color infrared satellite image (43K)] (b)

Color enhancement is a procedure where specified levels of energy -- in this example, infrared energy -- are given a specific color. this makes locations with the desired energies easier to locate. In this example (b), shades of yellow and orange represent infrared energy emissions consistent with strong thunderstorms. This is because infrared energy is proportional to brightness temperature, and the highest cloud tops are colder than those at lower altitudes (the highest cloud tops are typically associated with the strongest thunderstorms).