ABSTRACT
Remotely sensed thermal infrared (TIR) data and derived surface temperature and emissivity products are extensively used across various scientific applications, such as urban heat island monitoring, wildfire detection, estimation of evapotranspiration, volcanological studies, and surface mineral exploration. Efficient storage and distribution of these datasets facilitates broad and rapid access by the TIR user community and further advances research. Recent improvements to data formats, metadata standards, data storage and distribution, and access to cost-effective cloud-based analysis have further magnified this effect. This chapter offers an overview of the search, discovery, and access methods to some common remotely sensed TIR data products, outlines the tools available to navigate this process, and explains some of the underlying mechanics so that users can efficiently find and access the data required for their analysis. While this chapter is primarily focused on data and tools provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it also includes a brief overview of the search and access methods for the TIR data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
