| This thesis is concerned with the satellite remote sensing of lake surface temperatures for use in climate research. The link between weather and lake temperature is investigated, particularly how the annual pattern of weather determines the annual pattern of lake temperature. Studies are made of how changes in climate might affect this link and how surface temperature measurement might serve as a proxy monitor or indicator of climate change. A thermal lake model is developed and used to investigate the effects of changing the individual meteorological components. This research leads to a new understanding the way in which how lakes respond to climate. The feasibility of using satellite remote sensing to monitor lake temperatures is assessed and the results of two case studies are presented. The first case study is a field validation campaign on a tropical lake (Lake Malawi) which represents a detailed investigation of the issues involved in accurate measurement of lake surface temperatures from space. The second study is an investigation of the accuracy to which the annual cycle of surface temperature, for a northern temperate lake (Lough Neagh, N. Ireland), can be determined. |
