1. OVERVIEW Determining the sources of satellite-derived LST errors requires careful consideration of instrument limitation and atmospheric and surface processes that influence the upwelling radiation field. We will give a brief overview of those various error sources. Instrument Noise and Calibration. The accuracy of satellite brightness temperature retrievals are limited by radiometer noise, resolution, and calibration, although the errors introduced into the derived surface temperature are typically small. Radiometer resolution is determined through inherent sensor noise and digitization interval. Inherent noise for a radiometer is only around 0.5 K for a cool sensor, but increases with increasing sensor temperature and age. Radiometer calibration errors are typically also very small, generally less than 0.45 K. Atmospheric contaminiation. Typically the largest source of error for satellite-derived temperature. The global algorithms correct for water vapor attenuation

The effect of salinity on deriving LST.