Sandrine Guerlet

Researcher in Planetary sciences

Research interests

My research work focuses on the modeling and remote sensing of planetary atmospheres. I am particularly interested in the study of atmospheric composition, thermal structure, radiative balance, dynamics and climate of various planetary atmospheres. To achieve these goals, I acquired expertise in the analysis of infrared spectroscopic data, the development of radiative transfer models and retrieval algorithms. I also contribute to the development of a generic General Circulation Model (now called the LMD Planetary Climate Model), used in our team to model any kind of planetary atmosphere.

Current position & Projects

Since October 2014, I am a CNRS researcher at the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD). My research activities initially focused on the study of Jupiter and Saturn atmospheres, both from remote sensing observations (Cassini/CIRS, ground-based observations) and via the development of the "giant planet" version of the LMD Planetary Climate Model, in collaboration with other LMD researchers. I am particularly interested in the study of seasonal variations in temperature, composition, and stratospheric dynamics (wave activity, equatorial oscillation), and in the study of the impact of ion chemistry on the hydrocarbons and hazes at high latitudes.

Since 2016, I am also involved in the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission. I developed a retrieval algorithm to exploit thermal infrared spectra acquired by the ACS-TIRVIM instrument to map the tropospheric temperature of the Martian atmosphere as well as the dust and water ice integrated optical depth, at various local times. These results are then exploited in a data assimilation scheme coupled to the LMD Mars PCM. I also exploit the retrieved temperatures to characterize thermal tides on Mars.

Since 2021, I lead a projet focused on studying the dynamics of Uranus and Neptune's atmospheres in collaboration with researchers at LESIA/Observatoire de Paris and the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique of Bordeaux. This project, named SOUND, is funded by the French ANR until 2025.

Previous experiences and diplomas

  • January 2020: Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (diploma to advise PhD students).
  • Nov. 2012 - Oct. 2014: Postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD)
  • Oct. 2010 - Nov. 2012: Scientist at SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research (Utrecht). Research topic: mapping CO2 and CH4 concentrations from the analysis of Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) data.
  • Oct. 2007 - Sep. 2010: PhD at LESIA/Observatoire de Paris: "Temperature and composition of Saturn's stratosphere from Cassini/CIRS data analysis".

Publication list