Barry Gross

About

Barry Gross is a leading figure in satellite-based aerosol and air quality research, with a career dedicated to refining how we observe atmospheric particulates from space. His primary contributions lie in developing advanced retrieval algorithms for aerosol optical depth (AOD) over complex, urban landscapes—a critical challenge for monitoring pollution in populated areas. In his most cited work (2009, 36 citations), Gross pioneered a method using a modified VIS/SWIR surface albedo ratio to improve MODIS aerosol retrievals over urban scenes, leveraging simultaneous AERONET data to overcome the difficulties of bright, heterogeneous surfaces. He has also advanced the integration of satellite AOD with chemical transport models (WRF/CMAQ) to produce more reliable PM2.5 estimates, directly supporting public health assessments. Beyond land, Gross has characterized aerosol parameters over ocean using Ocean Color sensors like MODIS and VIIRS, validated against AERONET-OC data. His work on developing a Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer network in the U.S. Northeast further demonstrates his commitment to distributed, ground-based monitoring of aerosol optical thickness and fine mode fraction. Through these efforts, Gross has significantly enhanced our ability to map air quality and aerosol radiative forcing at regional and global scales.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Improved MODIS Aerosol Retrieval Using Modified VIS/SWIR Surface Albedo Ratio Over Urban Scenes

   36 citations · 2009
2. 2
   Assessing satellite AOD based and WRF/CMAQ output PM2.5 estimators

   7 citations · 2013
3. 3
   Characterization of aerosol parameters over ocean from the Ocean Color satellite sensors and AERONET-OC data

   7 citations · 2017
4. 4
   Testing and Development of a Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer Network for Distributed Monitoring of Aerosol Optical Depth and Fine Mode Fraction on US Northeast Region

   3 citations · 2008

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links