Which of the following is a disadvantage of geostationary satellites?

Geostationary satellites orbit the Earth at a fixed position above the equator, allowing them to maintain the same view of the Earth's surface continuously. While this provides advantages such as real-time monitoring of weather patterns and constant communication capabilities, it also comes with some inherent disadvantages.

One primary disadvantage is that the high altitude at which geostationary satellites operate—approximately 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles)—limits their ability to capture high-resolution images. This is because as the distance from the Earth's surface increases, the detail that can be resolved decreases. The pixel size of the images produced by these satellites is larger compared to those from lower-altitude satellites, which can be positioned to capture more detailed images of smaller areas. Therefore, while geostationary satellites are excellent for broad overview applications like tracking large storm systems, they struggle to provide the fine detail necessary for more localized assessments or smaller-scale environmental changes.

The other choices do not represent disadvantages of geostationary satellites. For instance, they indeed provide continuous, real-time data for monitoring extreme weather, and they can operate continuously both during the day and night without downtime. However, their fixed position imposes significant challenges for observing polar regions, leading to gaps in data for those