What is Sea Surface Temperature (SST)?
Satellite sea surface temperature (SST) provides both a synoptic view of the ocean and a high frequency of repeat views, allowing the examination of basin-wide upper ocean dynamics. SST shows many of the world’s major currents, such as the Gulf Stream; it can also show current-related anomalies such as cold and warm core eddies. A given area may be viewed four or more times per day, and the resolution of the imagery is 1 to 4 kilometers. The satellite measures two or more wavelengths in the infrared part of the spectrum; these wavelengths are chosen to be within the peak of the blackbody radiation expected from the Earth and to transmit through the atmosphere. This method of measurement represents the temperature of the “skin” of the ocean, approximately the surface one millimeter (1 mm) or less, and it may not represent the bulk temperature of the upper meter of ocean.
