Regional thermal-inertia mapping from an experimental satellite

A new experimental satellite has provided, for the first time, thermal data that should be useful in reconnaissance geologic exploration. Thermal inertia, a property of geologic materials, can be mapped from these data by applying an algorithm that has been developed using a new thermal model. A simple registration procedure was used on a pair of day and night images of the Powder River basin, Wyoming, to illustrate the method. Preliminary assessment of these satellite data suggests that they will be of significant use for resource exploration when used in conjunction with other geologic, geophysical, and geochemical data.