Dr Graham Quartly
Physical oceanographer (Remote sensing)
gqu@pml.ac.uk | +44 (0)1752 633100 (switchboard)"I’m still amazed at how accurately we can monitor the sea surface from 800 km above. "
Dr Quartly has a Ph.D. in underwater acoustic from the University of Bath, and has now spent more than 30 years looking at satellite remote-sensing of the ocean He has combined this with analysis of model output, and observations from ships and buoys/drifters. He has led 4 hydrographic cruises and instigated 2 projects for technology development. He has occasionally lectured on altimetry and has supervised 25 MSc or PhD students.
He is very active in satellite altimetry research, and has recently edited a special issue of Remote Sensing on altimetric calibration. He still retains a strong interest in the Greater Agulhas Current system, and also in rainfall at sea.
Away from work, his time is spent hill walking, gardening and Scottish country dancing!
Selected Publications
- Quartly, G.D., G. Chen, F. Nencioli, R. Morrow, and N. Picot, 2021. An overview of requirements, procedures and current advances in the calibration/validation of radar altimeters. Remote Sens. 2021; 13(1):125. doi: 10.3390/rs13010125
- Passaro, M. , M.A. Hemer, G.D. Quartly, C. Schwatke, D. Dettmering, and F. Seitz, 2021. Global coastal attenuation of wind-waves observed with radar altimetry, Nat Commun 12, 3812. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23982-4
- Quartly, G.D., J. Aiken, R.J.W. Brewin, and A. Yool 2023. The link between surface and sub-surface chlorophyll-a in the centre of the Atlantic subtropical gyres: A comparison of observations and models Front. Mar. Sci, 10, (19pp.) doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1197753
- Chen, X, G.D. Quartly, and G. Chen, 2024. Eddy detection inverted from Argo profiles to surface altimetry. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol. 41(6), 551-572. doi: 10.1175/JTECH-D-22-0147.1
- Han, G., G.D. Quartly, G. Chen, and J. Yang, 2024. Satellite-observed SST and chlorophyll reveal contrasting dynamical-biological effects of mesoscale eddies in the North Atlantic. Env. Res. Lett. 19, art. no. 104035. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad7049
- Han, G., G.D. Quartly, H. Wang, J. Yang, and G. Chen, 2025. Latitudinal transitions of eddy-affected zooplankton abundance in the mid-latitude North Atlantic. Deep Sea Res. I 226, 104605. doi: 10.1016/j.dsr.2025.104605
- Quartly, G.D., 2025. The intertwined factors affecting altimeter sigma0. Remote Sens. 2025, 17, 3776. doi: 10.3390/rs17223776
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