The analysis of the near-surface energy transfer environment from thermal infrared imagery

Abstract

AbstractThe radiant surface temperature imaged by thermal infrared line-scanning equipment is a product of both surface temperature and emissivity. In detail it is the integrated product of the evolutionary development of the near-surface energy transfer regime. The variation of surface radiant temperature spatially and temporally contains information about the structure, composition, and thermal state of near surface materials. It is suggested that the study of ground ice, sea/lake ice, and the thermal regimes of mountain snow and ice bodies, are reasonable targets for the quantitative application of thermal mapping technology, and that considerable technical development effort be expended on spectral, spatial, and temporal operators for use in computer processing of pictures for glaciological data.