Vincent V. Salomonson Tel: (801) 585-9492 (University of Utah)        (801) 253-6195 (Home)        (301) 614-5631 (Goddard) Fax: (801) 253-6195 Vincent.V.Salomonson@nasa.gov
Data Products MOD01 - Level-1A Radiance Counts MOD03 - Geolocation Data Set List of MODIS ATBDs Written/Co-Authored Snow Mapping Algorithm and the Sea Ice Mapping Algorithm Related World Wide Web Sites: MODIS-Land Discipline Group Web site Snow and Ice Cover MODLAND Validation Activities MODLAND Quality Assurance

Biography:

Vincent Salomonson has over 40 years of experience in the fields of atmospheric sciences, hydrology, and agricultural engineering. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University in 1968, the year he joined Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) of NASA. He served as the Director of Earth Sciences at GSFC for over 11 years (1990-2000), and as Senior Scientist in the Earth-Sun Division at Goddard from 2001-2005. Following retirement from the federal civil service in June 2005 he continues as a Senior Scientist (Emeritus) at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. In July 2005 he was appointed a Research Professor at the University of Utah with joint appointments in the Departments of Meteorology and Geography.

Dr. Salomonson brings substantial experience to his role as Science Team Leader of MODIS. He has served in that role from 1988 to the present. He also served for 12 years as the Landsat-4 and 5 Project Scientist from 1977-1989, including the leadership and management of the Landsat Image Data Quality and Analysis (LIDQA) Investigator Team and Thematic Mapper Research in the Earth Sciences Investigator Team. Additional experience includes over 28 years as a line manager of research groups at GSFC and the leadership of the NASA Water Resources Subdiscipline Panel and Program for several years in the 1970s. He has over 130 refereed publications, conference proceedings, and NASA reports to his credit.

Cited on numerous occasions for his outstanding research and scientific achievement, Dr. Salomonson is the recipient of several NASA awards for exceptional achievement, service, and performance including two NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medals (1976, 1983), the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (1996) and the rank of Meritorious Executive (1992) and Distinguished Executive (1998) in the Federal Government Senior Executive Service. He has also received the Distinguished Achievement (1986) and Outstanding Service (1998) Awards of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society; the William T. Pecora Award (1987); and an Honor Alumnus Award (1987) from Colorado State University. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). He also served as President of ASPRS (1991-1992). In 2002 he was named a Goddard Senior Fellow�one of 24 such individuals designated as such at the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA. Also in 2002 he was awarded the William Nordberg Memorial Award by the Goddard Space Flight Center. In 2005 he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Utah.

Research Area:
Dr. Salomonson serves as the MODIS Science Team Leader. This investigation provides continuing MODIS instrument monitoring for the MODIS instruments on the EOS Terra and Aqua missions. The effort also includes oversight and guidance of the calibration and characterization of the performance of these instruments and the incorporation of these characteristics in the Level 1 MODIS products. Dr. Salomonson also guides and directs the checkout and integration of MODIS Science Team product codes into the EOSDIS operations. He also provides the administrative oversight and management of all the 90-member MODIS Science Team efforts in support and in collaboration with NASA HQ Earth Sciences management personnel. The effort also includes general Earth sciences community outreach and support in the use of the approximately 40 MODIS products.

Field Work:
General support and facilitation of MODIS Science Team field work and campaigns in land, ocean and atmospheres research via the provision of Level 1 products as needed and facilitation in the access and use of MODIS products overall.

Curator: Brandon Maccherone
NASA Official: Shannell Cardwell