Background
The Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG) 2024 assessment found that agencies would benefit from sub-weekly land surface temperature (LST) products derived from thermal infrared (TIR) data at 30-meter resolution with a latency of 1 day or less.
The harmonized thermal product aims to use Landsat thermal data, in combination with a downscaling approach, to calculate LST at the time of Sentinel-2 overpasses from daily Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) 375-meter thermal data. The product would serve as a primary input for the OpenET project, which is highly valued by identified stakeholders.
Status: In Development
A team is currently investigating the feasibility of implementing enhanced image fusion to 10 meters in order to create a Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) TIR solution. Products with more thermal bands—such as ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) and the future Surface Biology and Geology (SBG)-TIR—may be included in this data stream in order to streamline the use of these products in applications.
Solution Characteristics
| Products | Land Surface Temperature |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Landsat 8/9, Sentinel-2A/B, Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP), Aqua, Terra, Sentinel-3A/B, ECOSTRESS |
| Processing Level | 2/3 |
| Temporal Change | HLS period of record |
| Temporal Frequency | As low as 3 days for cloud-free conditions and full constellation |
| Latency | 1 to 4 days |
| Spatial Coverage | Global land |
| Spatial Resolution | 30 meters |
| Data Format | Consistent with current HLS datasets |
Societal Impact
Improving the temporal sampling capabilities of TIR-based evapotranspiration (ET) remote sensing systems will enhance the ability of agencie to monitor the impacts of high-frequency land management activities on water use, detect early signals of developing crop stress, and characterize daily to weekly water use in humid regions that have a higher frequency of cloud cover.
The new harmonized product will also accelerate the adoption of more frequent and more detailed thermal products, shortening the time and government investment needed to integrate new thermal imaging assets into agency systems.
Solution Resources
Need help using this solution? For more information, visit OpenET.