AnnualReport2020

HOST LABORATORIES IN
EARTH ECOLOGY &
ENVIRONMENT SCIENCES
CENTRE DE BIOPHYSIQUE MOLECULAIRE (CBM)
UPR 4301 - CNRS
The Center for Molecular Biophysics (CBM) is a research unit of the French National Center for
Scientific Research (CNRS). The CBM develops research at the interface of chemistry, biology
and physics to study the molecular mechanisms that sustain life or dysfunctions leading to
diseases. The CBM was founded in 1967 and from here the biophysics first developed in France
(the Biophysics French Society born in Orléans). At the CBM, I join the Chemistry, Imaging and Exobiology
(CEI) team leaded by Dr. Frances Westall. The CEI research interests focus on the understanding of the origin
and early evolution of life on Earth, and the search for life elsewhere throughout the study of the 1) origins of
prebiotic molecules, 2) oldest traces of life, 3) Biosignatures and artificial fossilisation, and 4) Space exploration
and the search for life on Mars and elsewhere in the solar system. The CEI group is strongly involved in the
scientific and instrumental aspects of the European/Russian ExoMars 2020 rover mission.
LABORATOIRE DE PHYSIQUE ET CHIMIE DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT
ET DE L’ESPACE (LPC2E)
UMR 7328 - UNIVERSITÉ D’ORLÉANS, CNRS, CNES
The LPC2E (Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace) is a joint research unit of
the CNRS,the University of Orleans and the CNES (Centre National des Etudes Spatiales). In common with the
ISTO (Institut des Sciences de la Terre d’Orléans) and the Station of Radioastronomy of Nançay, it is one of the
founding laboratories of the OSUC (Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers de la région Centre-Val de Loire).
The fields of activity of its three scientific teams range from the atmosphere to the most distant space: physico-chemistry
of the atmosphere, physics of space plasmas, planetology to study environment of planets and small bodies (e.g. comets)
of the Solar System, pulsars and gravitation.
This research relies mainly on the scientific exploitation of instruments on board balloons, satellites or space probes.
The LPC2E is one of the CNRS-INSU (Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers) space laboratories, working in close
partnership with the CNES to propose, design, build and operate these instruments, then make their data and observations
and publish the results available to the scientist community.
INSTITUT DES SCIENCES DE LA TERRE D’ORLÉANS (ISTO)
UMR 7327 - UNIVERSITÉ D’ORLÉANS, CNRS, BRGM
Earth, Ecology & Environment Sciences 2020
The ISTO (Institut des Sciences de la Terre d’Orléans) is a research laboratory in earth sciences,
studying the external envelopes of the Earth (upper mantle, continental crust, atmosphere)
and the exchange processes between interfaces. The research subjects in the institute include
primary mineral, energy and water resources, volcanic hazard, as well as the environmental impacts of
anthropogenic activity affecting the critical zone and aquifers. The ISTO was born in January 2000 from the
regrouping of three specific units with some subsequent additions that conformed a joint research unit (UMR),
with three bodies to date: University of Orleans (UO), Centre National de Recherches Scientifiques (CNRS)
and Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM); and it is attached to the Observatory of Sciences
of the Universe in the Centre-Val de Loire region (OSUC). The Peatlands Group is part of the Biogeosystems
Team, one of the research teams at the institute, that is aimed to understand the physical, chemical and
biological processes that govern the functioning and evolution of continental bio-geosystems, in order to
modelling the interactions between climate, people, environment, past, present and future.
INSTITUT DE COMBUSTION AÉROTHERMIQUE RÉACTIVITÉ ET
ENVIRONNEMENT (ICARE)
UPR 3021 - CNRS
ICARE was founded on January 1st, 2007. It is a laboratory fully funded and managed by CNRS.
It depends on the Institute for Engineering and Systems Sciences (INSIS). It is the result of the
merger of two laboratories: the “Laboratoire d’Aérothermique” and the “Laboratoire de Combustion
et Systèmes Réactifs”. Today, ICARE is a major player in the field of reactive systems, with leading experimental
facilities, at national and even global level. The main areas of research concern the chemical transformation of energy,
the environment, propulsion and space. The laboratory develops four main research themes: - Chemical kinetics of
combustion and reactive systems - Dynamics of combustion and reactive systems - Atmospheric reactivity - Space
propulsion and high speed flows.
Earth, Ecology & Environment Sciences 2020
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