Which of the following is a disadvantage of polar orbiting satellites?

Polar orbiting satellites travel in orbits that pass over the Earth’s poles, allowing them to cover the entire surface of the planet as the Earth rotates beneath them. This type of orbit enables the satellites to capture detailed images and data across different geographic areas. However, one notable disadvantage is the limited number of images they can capture each day.

Because these satellites need to complete a full orbit to revisit the same location on Earth, they might only be able to take pictures of any given spot once or twice daily. This limit is particularly significant for time-sensitive applications, such as monitoring rapidly changing phenomena like storms or other atmospheric conditions. In contrast, geostationary satellites, which remain fixed above one spot on the Earth, can capture continuous images, making them more suitable for real-time monitoring of dynamic weather patterns.

The other options address misconceptions about polar orbiting satellites: they can actually provide high-resolution images, effectively monitor extreme weather events, and are capable of transmitting data to Earth. These capabilities underscore the importance of polar orbiting satellites in remote sensing, despite their limitation regarding the frequency of observations for specific locations.