 This paper provides a systematic review of satellite-based studies on urban heat island, UHI, variability from 1972 to present. The study finds an exponential increase in SOHI research since 2005, with preferences for specific geographic areas, time periods, and research foci. The Landsat thematic mapper, TM, slash enhanced thematic mapper, ETM plus, slash thermal infrared sensor, TIRS, and Terra slash aqua-moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer, MODIS, are the two most commonly used satellite sensors. Previous studies confirm that SOHI is influenced by factors such as impervious surface area, vegetation cover, landscape structure, albedo, and climate. However, data and methodological limitations hinder the application of SOHI research. Future efforts should focus on improving LSD data quality and quantity, examining SOHI intensity and inter-annual variability, scaling issues, subsurface UHIs, and integrating remote sensing with field observations and numeric modeling. This article was authored by Diching Zhou, Jingfeng Xiao, Stephanie Abonafone, and others. We are article.tv, links in the description below.