Although remote sensing is recognized as a powerful tool, less attention has been given in the past to the use of thermal, and especially thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing. TIR data is useful for understanding the fluxes and redistribution of materials as a key aspect of land surface processes and land-atmosphere inter-relationships. This book presents studies showing this, and interprets both the prospects and problems of using TIR data in land process research, making the book useful to those wishing to employ this data as a major component in Earth science research. It illustrates the virtues and importance of TIR data in remote sensing research to facilitate the future development of new and improved satellite and airborne TIR remote sensing systems. Students and researchers should find this an invaluable book, whether they are geographers, geologists, climatologists, hydrologists, landscape ecologists or other environmental scientists.