About Matt Palmer

Matt manages evaluation of the ocean component of the climate model

Areas of expertise:

• Ocean and climate modelling.

• Ocean dynamics and climate variability.

• Subsurface ocean observations.

• Detection and attribution.

Publications by Matt 

Current activities

Matt manages the ocean model evaluation team, who work on assessment of the  NEMOocean component of the coupled climate model. This work helps to deliver improved climate models, by better understanding model deficiencies through process-based analysis. Matt also coordinates the coupled climate model assessment as part of the INTEGRATE project. INTEGRATE aims to develop a suite of "traceable" climate models for use in seasonal-to-decadal forecasting, climate projects and climate impacts analysis.

A key aspect of Matt's work is his involvement with  RAPID-WATCH and  THOR. Both of these research projects are concerned with the potential weakening or shutdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation as a result of anthropogenic climate change.

Career background

Matt joined the Met Office Hadley Centre in 2005, where he spent the first five years working in the Climate Monitoring and Attribution team before moving to the Seasonal to Decadal prediction group. Prior to that, he did a PhD at the  National Oceanography Centre, Southampton where he combined observations with a regional model of the Indian Ocean in order to study the deep overturning circulation.

As part of his PhD, Matt participated in a hydrographic research cruise at 32°S in the Indian Ocean, where he gained 'hands on' experience of collecting ocean observations and deploying Argo floats. As an undergraduate, Matt studied Physical Oceanography at the  University of Southampton

Since joining the Met Office, Matt's work has focused on understanding ocean heat content change using both observational analyses and climate model simulations. Much of this work has been done in collaboration with Prof. Keith Haines from the NERC  Environmental Systems Science Centre at the University of Reading.

External recognition

• Matt is a member of the UK Argo expert team
• Matt is a member of the CLIVAR global synthesis and observations panel