Review of Thermal Infrared Applications and Requirements for Future High-Resolution Sensors

High-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing has a wide range of applications. In this paper, we describe the different applications and requirements identified in a literature review and during a consultation meeting with researcher experts in different fields. As a result, more than 30 applications were identified within three different fields: 1) land and solid Earth; 2) health and hazards; and 3) security and surveillance. A complete set of requirements (spatial, temporal, and radiometric resolution, algorithms used, and supporting data, among others) for each application is also provided. The results presented in this paper provide useful information to enhance the importance of high-resolution TIR data for civil applications and may serve as a reference document for future TIR mission concepts.