What type of sensor shows visible parts of the electromagnetic spectrum but is limited by weather?

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The choice of an electro-optical sensor as the correct answer is based on its capability to capture visible light from the electromagnetic spectrum. These sensors utilize traditional imaging systems that detect and record light in the visible wavelengths, which allows for detailed and high-resolution images that are useful in a variety of applications, such as surveillance, reconnaissance, and environmental monitoring.

However, electro-optical sensors are significantly impacted by atmospheric conditions, particularly weather phenomena like cloud cover, rain, fog, and haze. Poor weather conditions can obstruct the sensor's line of sight, leading to degraded image quality or even complete loss of visibility.

In contrast, other sensor types such as infrared sensors can operate effectively under low visibility conditions, as they are designed to detect heat rather than visible light. Radar sensors also are less affected by adverse weather and can provide data through clouds and rain, making them reliable for various operational scenarios. Lidar sensors include their own limitations but usually work better than electro-optical systems in terms of weather resilience since they can be configured to operate in certain weather conditions. Hence, electro-optical sensors are specifically recognized for their reliance on clear atmospheric conditions to function optimally, which validates the correctness of this answer.

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