Charles R. McClain

About

Charles R. McClain has made foundational contributions to satellite ocean color remote sensing, with his research spanning aerosol optical property retrieval, sensor calibration, and the development of global validation frameworks. His most influential work, garnering over 340 citations, introduced a new suite of aerosol models for retrieving aerosol optical thickness and water-leaving radiances from the landmark SeaWiFS and MODIS sensors — instruments that transformed our understanding of ocean biology and atmospheric composition from space. McClain also played a central role in establishing rigorous validation methodologies for satellite aerosol retrievals, leveraging the AERONET ground-truth network to standardize global comparison procedures. His sustained work on cross-calibrating SeaWiFS and MODIS using lunar observations addressed a critical challenge in producing consistent, long-term climate data records, requiring radiometric stability at the extraordinary precision of 0.1%. Through his leadership in NASA's SIMBIOS Project, he helped coordinate international ocean color data collection and instrument intercomparison efforts, cementing community-wide standards. Across his career, McClain's technical rigor and systems-level thinking have been instrumental in ensuring that satellite ocean observations meet the demanding accuracy requirements essential for credible climate science.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   New aerosol models for the retrieval of aerosol optical thickness and normalized water-leaving radiances from the SeaWiFS and MODIS sensors over coastal regions and open oceans

   341 citations · 2010
2. 2
   Development of a Global Validation Package for Satellite Oceanic Aerosol Optical Thickness Retrieval Based on AERONET Observations and Its Application to NOAA/NESDIS Operational Aerosol Retrievals

   97 citations · 2002
3. 3
   Cross calibration of SeaWiFS and MODIS using on-orbit observations of the Moon

   67 citations · 2011
4. 4
   Uncertainty assessment of the SeaWiFS on-orbit calibration

   25 citations · 2011
5. 5
   The cross calibration of SeaWiFS and MODIS using on-orbit observations of the Moon

   10 citations · 2009
6. 6
   <title>Ocean color instrument intercomparisons and cross-calibrations by the SIMBIOS project</title>

   5 citations · 1999
7. 7
   Ocean color instrument intercomparisons and cross-calibrations by the SIMBIOS project (1999-2000)

   3 citations · 2000

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links