Abstract: Based on the thermal infrared images of the Taihu Lake Basin taken by the HJ-1 satellite on March 26, 2010, atmospheric moisture content was inverted using the synchronous modis data and land surface temperature (LST) was inverted with mono-window algorithm (Qin, 2001), generalized single-channel algorithm (Jimenez-Munoz & Sobrino, 2003) and image-based Artis inversion algorithm (Artis & Carnahan, 1982), separately for comparison with the temperature product of modis of Grade MOD11_L2, so as to explore suitable method for inversion of surface temperature using the HJ-1 satellite thermal infrared channel. Results show that the generalized single-channel algorithm is more precise than the others and its results differ slightly from the modis temperature product, being 1.23 K on average. Moreover, the overhead time of the satellite is only 39 minutes different from the time of the modis LST product. Therefore, the use of the generalized single-channel algorithm for inversion is acceptable in accuracy.