ClimateAugust 12, 2026

tomographic

toe-muh-GRAF-ik

Definition

Relating to the technique of displaying an image of a section or slice through the body or an object by using penetrating waves.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek words 'tomos' meaning 'a slice' and 'graphein' meaning 'to write' or 'to record'. It was coined in the 20th century to describe imaging techniques that create visual representations of cross-sections.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe how Starlink satellites are used to create a 3D structural map of the Earth's upper atmosphere by scanning slices of data. This demonstrates how satellite networks can act as global sensors to provide high-resolution volumetric imaging of planetary phenomena.

Scientists used Starlink satellites to map Earth's upper atmosphere for the first time

Read the full article ↗

starlust.org

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