Thermal Lens: LST (Land Surface Temperature) explained

Those Space People

Land Surface Temperature (LST) is a vital measure derived from thermal remote sensing satellite data. In the summer of 2023, it gained attention in the media and stirred some confusion when compared to regular air temperatures.

In the first episode of the special series "Thermal Lens," we feature Michael Perry from the University of Leicester. He's been part of important space missions like LSTM and Sentinel-3's SLSTR, all focused on studying LST. Mike, with a background in physics and a PhD in developing new ways to understand LST and emissivity, is our expert.

During the episode, Mike explains what LST truly is, how we calculate it, and where we obtain the data. He also simplifies the various methods and algorithms used, making it easier to grasp their differences.

If you're new to LST, this episode provides practical advice on selecting the right data for different applications.