Methodology · Thermal IR

Sea-surface temperature retrieval

Retrieves ocean skin or subskin temperature from calibrated thermal-infrared split-window radiances, with passive-microwave radiometry providing coarser all-weather SST continuity.

How it works

Sea-surface temperature retrieval estimates the temperature of the ocean surface from calibrated radiance, not land emissivity. The high-resolution operational route is thermal-infrared split-window retrieval under clear sky; microwave SST retrieval supplies lower-resolution, cloud-penetrating continuity for all-weather ocean analyses.^[1]^[2] It is first-choice for SST mapping but should not be reused as a land-surface-temperature method because ocean emissivity, skin-depth, validation, and cloud-screening assumptions differ.

Topics this serves

Topic

Fit

Sea surface temperaturefirst choice

deferred-methodology-gap

Ocean heat contentadequate

deferred-methodology-gap

Existing implementations

Demonstrated

MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) via Aqua
MODIS has a documented thermal-infrared SST retrieval.
Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) via Aqua
AMSR-E is a passive-microwave SST-capable radiometer for cloudy/all-weather ocean continuity.
Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) via GCOM-W1 (Shizuku)
AMSR2 is a passive-microwave SST-capable radiometer for cloudy/all-weather ocean continuity.
China Ocean Colour and Temperature Scanner via HY-1D
COCTS is recorded as an ocean colour and temperature scanner on HY-1D.
INSAT-3DS Imager via INSAT-3DS
Split-window TIR channels support SST retrieval.
MSU-GS Electro-L Imager via Electro-L N4
MSU-GS infrared imagery supports SST retrieval.
METimage meteorological imager via Metop-SG-A1
METimage visible/infrared imaging supports SST products.
MSU-MR VIS/IR Imaging Radiometer via Meteor-M N2-4
MSU-MR contributes ocean surface temperature variables in WMO OSCAR measurement mapping.
Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI) via GCOM-C (Shikisai)
SGLI includes thermal infrared channels used for sea-surface-temperature retrieval products.
Infrared Multispectral Scanner - 2 via Huan Jing-2A
IRMSS-2 MWIR/TIR channels have WMO-listed sea-surface-temperature relevance.
SLSTR (Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer) via Sentinel-3B
SLSTR demonstrates sea-surface temperature retrieval on Sentinel-3B.
Sea Surface Temperature Monitor via Oceansat-3
SSTM is the sea-surface temperature payload on Oceansat-3; WMO reports it has failed due to scan mechanism.
Advanced Baseline Imager via GOES-16
ABI thermal infrared bands support sea-surface temperature products.
Flexible Combined Imager (FCI) via Meteosat-12
FCI infrared imagery supports sea-surface temperature products.
Advanced Himawari Imager via Himawari-9
JMA lists detailed sea-surface-temperature data among Himawari-8/9 derived products.
FY-4B Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager via FY-4B
WMO lists sea-surface temperature retrieval as high relevance for AGRI MWIR/TIR window channels.
INSAT-3DR Imager via INSAT-3DR
MOSDAC states the split-window TIR imager enables improved sea-surface-temperature extraction over the Indian region.
FY-4A Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager via FY-4A
WMO lists sea-surface temperature retrieval as high relevance for AGRI thermal channels.
Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager via Meteosat-10
SEVIRI IR 10.8 and IR 12.0 channels used for SST retrieval over clear ocean. EUMETSAT publishes operational SST product from MSG/SEVIRI.

Capable, undemonstrated

OceanTech R&D
OceanTech R&D uses satellite-derived sea surface temperature as an early-warning indicator for coral bleaching events, integrated alongside field sensor temperature data.
Marmoris Coastal Ecosystem Insights

Related methodologies

Land-surface temperature - emissivity retrieval
Retrieves surface temperature and spectral emissivity from TIR radiance measurements; good for urban heat islands, drought stress monitoring, and surface energy balance studies.
Thermal infrared imaging
Passive imaging of thermal radiation emitted by the surface and atmosphere in a small number of discrete mid-wave and long-wave infrared bands, from cooled or uncooled detectors and typically calibrated against onboard blackbodies. It works day and night because the signal is thermal emission, although the mid-wave bands also pick up reflected sunlight by day. It does not see through cloud. It is the base imaging method behind thermal imagery, hotspot detection and cloud-top temperature, and the retrievals of surface and sea temperature build on it.

Sources

[1]Sea Surface Temperatureagency doc2026-06-08
[2]MODIS Infrared Sea Surface Temperature Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documentagency doc2026-06-08

Methodology

Edited from public sources by SpectraWorks editorial. See the data dictionary for field definitions.

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Sea-surface temperature retrieval. EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/topics/methodologies/sea-surface-temperature-retrieval (CC BY 4.0)

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@misc{eoatlas:topics:methodologies:sea-surface-temperature-retrieval,
  title = {Sea-surface temperature retrieval},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/topics/methodologies/sea-surface-temperature-retrieval}
}