Surface Temperature Mapping
Definition
Surface temperature mapping estimates land or sea surface temperature from thermal infrared sensors or microwave radiometers. Processing accounts for atmospheric effects, emissivity, and viewing geometry. Outputs reveal urban heat islands, crop water stress, fire intensity, and marine heatwaves. Temporal resolution and cloud handling determine usability for monitoring.
Application
Cities plan cooling strategies; agriculture schedules irrigation; wildfire teams gauge fire fronts; public health issues heat advisories; and climate scientists track trends. Fusion with air temperature and humidity supports heat-risk indices.
FAQ
What is emissivity and why does it matter?
Emissivity is a surface’s efficiency at emitting thermal radiation. Incorrect emissivity assumptions bias temperature retrievals, especially over bare soils and urban materials.
How can clouds and smoke be handled?
Use cloud masks, gap-fill with temporal fusion, or switch to microwave sensors that see through thin clouds at coarse resolution.
Why does time of day matter for urban studies?
Nighttime maps better reflect stored heat and human exposure, while daytime captures shortwave-driven peaks; both are informative for different interventions.
How should temperature uncertainty be communicated?
Provide per-pixel error estimates from retrieval models and note conditions (e.g., high humidity) that increase uncertainty.
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