Areas of expertise

• Infra-red remote sensing.
• Spectroscopy and continuum absorption.
• Line-by-line simulations of atmospheric radiation.

Publications by Stuart 

Current activities

Stuart is a Senior Scientist working on infrared radiative transfer. His research makes use of observations from FAAM research aircraft, focusing on hyperspectral (many wavelength) measurements of infrared radiances in the atmosphere with the ARIES interferometer. The aim of these studies is to improve understanding of the Earth's radiation balance and support the use of new generation hyperspectral satellite observations in the Met Office's forecast models.

Recently Stuart was a lead scientist in the JAIVEx field campaign in the United States, an international effort to establish the accuracy of the IASI satellite instrument and test methods for inferring atmospheric temperature and humidity profile information from hyperspectral data. Currently he is involved in the CAVIAR consortium, which brings together expertise from UK universities and research institutes. This project is investigating the water vapour continuum (a broad underlying absorption feature spanning the electromagnetic spectrum) which is an important component of the radiative impact of H₂O in the atmosphere. An improved understanding of the continuum will also contribute to research into the retrieval of water vapour information from satellite instruments such as IASI.

Career background

Stuart joined the Met Research Flight at Farnborough in 1999. He has worked in Observations Based Research at the Met Office HQ in Exeter since relocation in 2003. Prior to his career at the Met Office, Stuart completed a PhD at the University of Bristol in the field of spectroscopy and atmospheric chemistry.

External recognition

• Stuart shared with Fiona Hilton the International TOVS Study Conference XVI prize for best poster in May 2008 for their work on identifying water vapour model biases from satellite observations.
• In January 2009 Stuart received, jointly with Jonathan P. Taylor, the L. G. Groves Memorial Prize for Observations for their contributions to research from the JAIVEx campaign.