How does a satellite measure temperature?

How does a satellite measure temperature?

How does a satellite measure temperature? When we measure ocean temperature from satellites, we see the temperature at the surface (or ‘ skin ’) of the ocean. This is called Sea surface temperature (SST) . Some sensors measure temperature using the thermal infrared portion of the spectrum. These have the advantage of having a higher resolution, but observations are obscured by clouds. Other sensors use the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. These measurements have a lower resolution but can see through clouds. Scientists can combine measurements from multiple sensors to get a complete picture of global SST.