Global Intercomparison of Hyper-Resolution ECOSTRESS Coastal Sea Surface Temperature Measurements from the Space Station with VIIRS-N20

The ECOSTRESS multi-channel thermal radiometer on the Space Station has an unprecedented spatial resolution of 70 m and a return time hours to 5 days. It resolves details oceanographic features not detectable in imagery from MODIS or VIIRS, open-ocean coverage, unlike Landsat. We calibrated two years sea surface temperature observations with L2 data VIIRS-N20 (2019–2020) worldwide but especially focused important upwelling systems currently undergoing climate change forcing. Unlike operational SST products VIIRS-N20, algorithm does use regression approach determine temperature, solves set simultaneous equations based first principles for both emissivity. compared ocean temperatures well-calibrated clear sky satellite measurements VIIRS-N20. Data comparisons were constrained those within 90 min one another using co-located VIIRS pixels. have consistent 1.01 °C negative bias relative although deviation brightness 10.49 12.01 µm bands much smaller. As alternative, we performance NOAA, NASA, U.S. Navy split-window algorithms taking into consideration statistical limitations imposed by intrinsic autocorrelation applying corrections temperatures. conclude that standard bias-correction methods already validated well-known can be applied data, yielding highly accurate ultra-high studies biological physical oceanography when these are needed properly evaluate regional even local impacts change.