Global Temperature Trends: An Old Fashioned Investigation of Satellite and Surface Records

Despite a clear consensus that human activity is impacting our climate, there continue to be spirited discussions about the accuracy of satellite derived temperatures vs that of the NOAA Land and Sea based record. In an effort to promote an adherance to the scientific method, I will do my best to examine the methodologies behind each of these datasets, and attempt to reveal any uncertainties that may exist. The author enters into this investigation with no pre-conceived ideas, but I do have hope that my discoveries will make all of us think about how we use or misuse data to defend a position, and to always be willing to be proven wrong should evidence point in a different direction.