Major research themes
I am research scientist of the French National
center for Research (CNRS), at LAOG, and previously at LAT (Toulouse
Astrophysics Laboratory). My research activity is divided between
theoretical astrophysics and sustainability science.
On the astrophysical side, the dynamics of gravitational systems -
mostly planetary ring dynamics
and globular cluster dynamics - has been my first area of research.
More recently, I have been working on hydrodynamic and
MHD turbulence in accretion discs. The recent aspects of my research
activity are
described in the Astrophysics section.
Since 2005, I have been spending an
increasing fraction of my time on environmental issues and their
relations to human development, both in terms of outreach and
research. My research activity on this front bears on the
question of sustainability of coupled social-ecological systems at the
local to regional scales. This
aspect of my activity is described in the Sustainability
section.
Recent students
Jean-Yves Courtonne (04/11 - ) : internship on Matter Flux Analysis of territories (from employment catchment area to a French region in size) at INRIA
Abhishek Upahyay (03/10-05/10): internship on the TRANUS model at INRIA (in collaboration with Emmanuel Prados and Elise Arnaud)
Djaoued Abdelkader (08/09- ): PhD on the stability of MHD jets
Geoffroy Lesur (04/05-07/08): internship and PhD on HD and MHD turbulence in accretion disks