A Single-Channel, Double-Viewing Angle Method for Sea Surface Temperature Determination from Coincident METEOSAT and TIROS-N Radiometric Measurements

An experimental simulation of a single-channel, double-angle viewing technique for the determination of sea surface temperature from satellite is presented. This method relies upon the fact that the same area can be viewed simultaneously at two different angles (different air masses) by the geostationary satellite METEOSAT and by the polar orbiting satellite TIROS-N. Extrapolating the two air mass observations to zero air mass is shown to give a value of the temperature in good agreement with the true sea surface temperature. A discussion concerning the viewing angles is presented.