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Howard Gordon '61
Howard Gordon '61

Howard Gordon '61 (Ph) is a fellow of both the Optical Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, as well as one of the world's foremost experts in theoretical ocean optics. The University of Miami physicist is also recognized as one of the founding fathers of modern satellite oceanography. Last year Howard was recognized by The Oceanography Society with its highest honor, the Jerlov Award, for outstanding achievements in ocean optics and marine science.

Ocean optics is the study of the physical properties of light as it interacts with the ocean environment. How light propagates in the ocean determines everything from underwater visibility and its attendant consequences for military operations, or offshore oil exploration, to concentrations of phytoplankton, which play a critical role in global climate patterns.

"Phytoplankton are the microscopic plants that constitute the first link in the marine food chain. They are also a large sink for carbon dioxide in our oceans," says Howard Gordon '61, professor of Physics at the University of Miami. "Monitoring and measuring the distribution and concentration of phytoplankton is vital to understanding climate change."

For years, marine scientists and oceanographers performed a Herculean task trying to gather large amounts of data from research ships at localized points in the Earth's oceans. But this method left vast areas of the sea surface unobserved and unanalyzed. That changed thanks in large part to Howard, a pioneer of satellite oceanography and ocean color remote sensing. "Ocean color remote sensing is a technique that utilizes earth-orbiting satellites to measure the concentration of phytoplankton in the world's oceans," explains Howard. "It allows us to view biological changes within the ocean on a global scale.

"These green photosynthetic plants absorb blue and red light in the water," continues Howard. "Red light is also absorbed easily by the water itself, so we look at the ratio of blue-to-green light that is reflected from the water to determine phytoplankton levels. Computers process the ocean color data from thousands of images so we can interpret the results."

"I have always been grateful to Clarkson for the fantastic education I received. I have great memories of the Physics Department and the close interaction with faculty."

Yet Howard remembers a time not so long ago when the discipline he helped revolutionize was still in its infancy. "Ocean optics was not well developed when I entered the field in the mid-1960s. Only a few people had done significant work in the area. In fact, I fell into it by accident," he recalls.

"I was a physics major at Clarkson and when I arrived on campus I realized almost immediately that I was totally unprepared for the level of work that was expected," he recalls. "My first semester here was something of a disaster, really. But I worked very hard and by the spring things began to turn around for me. The next three years I did very well. When I entered graduate school at Pennsylvania State University I believe I was among the best prepared students. So because of Clarkson I did very well in graduate school."

Two years after receiving his doctoral degree in Physics in 1965, he joined the faculty of the University of Miami, where he has remained for nearly 40 years. "My arrival at Miami coincided with a substantial grant the University had received to develop an ocean optics research program. I began to learn about ocean optics and very soon it became my life's work."

His initial research was in experimental optics, measuring and modeling light scattering in the water column. But field work was not to his liking. "I got seasick," he says. So Howard decided to remain on land and began a successful career in theoretical ocean optics, which alone has led to more than 40 of his 130 peer-reviewed publications.

Howard was also among the first scientists to see the enormous potential for satellite oceanography and served as a member of the CZCS (Coastal Zone Color Scanner) instrument team. Launched in 1979, CZCS was one of the first efforts to use color remote sensing over natural waters. "Prior to CZCS, most marine biologists and members of the scientific community were highly skeptical of this technology. We were seen as a kind of fringe element in the field. While CZCS had its problems, it absolutely revolutionized the way people thought of biology in the ocean."

Over the last 15-20 years, interest in satellite oceanography has grown and it is now an established feature of modern marine biology. In 1997 the U.S. launched its second ocean color sensor, SeaWIFS, which is still operating. Two MODIS sensors, costing some $160 million each, were launched in 1999 and 2001. It was during the initial CZCS project that Howard began developing the atmospheric correction scheme that is used by SeaWiFS and MODIS.

"I have always been grateful to Clarkson for the fantastic education I received. I have great memories of the Physics Department and the close interaction with faculty."