To measure the surface temperature of a single place you use a thermometer, but to measure the surface temperature of the whole world you use a satellite! Satellite-based land surface temperature (LST) measures the radiation emitted by the top of the land surface, which as you might expect, varies depending on land use and cover. For example, bare lands such as deserts are able to heat up to much greater temperatures than forested areas at the same latitude. Scientists monitor land surface tempe