| CEOS EO HANDBOOK – MEASUREMENTS
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Measurements > Land >
Surface temperature (land)
  | Land surface temperature varies widely with solar radiation. It is of help in interpreting vegetation and its water stress when the range of temperatures between day and night and from clear sky to cloud cover are compared. On a local scale, surface temperature imagery may be used to refine techniques for predicting ground frost and to determine the warming effect of urban areas (urban heat islands) on night-time temperatures. In agriculture, temperature information may be used, together with models, to optimise planting times and provide timely warnings of frost. Measurements of surface temperature patterns may also be used in studies of volcanic and geothermal areas and resource exploration. | |
| Detailed Measurement | Description* | Instruments | Timeline |
| Evapotranspiration | The vaporisation of water through direct evaporation from wet surfaces plus the release of water vapour by plants through leaf pores. In remote sensing, evapotranspiration can be estimated using land surface temperature measurements. | 2 instruments |  |
| Fire temperature | Temperature of the fire occurring within an area - Physical unit: [ K ] - Accuracy unit: [ K ]. | 13 instruments | |
Land surface temperature
Link:   | Temperature of the apparent surface of land (bare soil or vegetation) - Physical unit: [ K ] - Accuracy unit: [ K ]. | 50 instruments | |
| Permafrost | Fraction of an area that is persistently frozen (round the year) - Physical unit: [ % ] - Accuracy unit: [ % ]. | 6 instruments | |
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* Description adapted from WMO.
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