Rivers, coasts and deltas

Study the roles of natural and anthropogenic forcings on the evolution of rivers, coasts and deltas

We study the functioning and mutations of fluvial and coastal systems in order to disentangle the role of natural forcings and human actions at different spatio-temporal scales. The hydrological and geomorphological characterisation of these systems and the conditions responsible for their variability are addressed through field measurements, modelling and the use of remote sensing tools.

These approaches make it possible to study the evolution of landscapes and coastal, fluvial and wetland environments in the face of sea level rise, sedimentary dynamics, past climate changes, human occupation since the Quaternary, and also the impact of storms on natural environments in order to define laws of beach behaviour useful for forecasting.

We also measure the sediment transfers that control the large-scale morphodynamics of rivers, beaches, mangroves and deltas, in particular to reconstruct past landscapes in order to understand human/environment relationships during the Quaternary and historical periods.

Our research axis integrates the recent Holocene mutations of these systems, linked or not to the different stages of engineering and development on the scale of catchment areas and coastlines. The sedimentary supply links from the upstream source to the estuarine and deltaic sinks are particularly studied. Two other important aspects of the axis are hazards and risks (high-intensity events, floods, land movements, torrential flows, cyclones, tsunamis, floods) and vulnerability, particularly that of deltas, on a global scale.