This feasibility study was conducted for extention of the multiple-wavelength method used for satellite measurement of sea surface temperature from thermal infrared data to land surface tempera tures through atmospheric radiative transfer simulations. The range of atmospheric conditions and surface temperatures simulated is wide enough to cover variations in clear atmospheric properties and surface temperatures

both of which are larger over land than over sea. Surface elevation is also included in the simulation as the most important topographic effect. Land covers characterized by measured Or modeled spectral emissivities include snow

clay

sands

and tree leaf sampks. The statistical inverse model Can estimate the surface temperature with a standard deviation less than 0.3 K and a maximum error less than1 K

for viewing angles up to 40° from nadir under cloud-free conditions

given satellite measurements in three infrared channels. Bands from the NOAA AVHRR （Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer） may be used

as can selected bands from one of two sensors under consideration by EOSAT and NASA for a future remote sensing instruments

either the addition of multispectral thermal infrared channels to Landsat or a sensor with a wide field-of-view designed for measurements over land or sea （SeaWiFS）.