Cloud the bottom of the hierarchy. Clouds in the troposphere assume five physical forms based on structure and process of formation. These forms are commonly used for the purpose of satellite analysis. They are given below in approximate ascending order of instability or convective activity. "Non-convective" stratiform clouds appear in "stable" airmass conditions and, in general, have flat sheet-like structures that can form at any altitude in the troposphere. The stratiform group is divided by altitude range into the genera cirrostratus (high-level), altostratus (mid-level), stratus (low-level), and nimbostratus (multi-level). Fog is commonly considered a surface-based cloud layer. The fog may form
Remote sensing atmospheric boundary layer of buoyantly driven convection that can provide the planetary boundary layer with cumulus clouds at the top of the boundary layer. MCC generally occurs over ocean regions and is primarily found off the coasts of major continents particularly in North and South America. MCC is a form of the Bénard cell where the fluid will rise or fall in hexagonal cells creating hexagonal cloud structure. The capping inversion of the planetary boundary layer acts as a lid for the convection creating a horizontal plane for the hexagonal cloud structures. Satellite observations have been imperative for understanding the horizontal scale and