Missions

Winner of the CNRS AMI PISE call, the ECOFEU project – in collaboration with CNRM (Météo-France/CNRS) and CECI (Cerfacs/CNRS) – addresses the growing risk of forest fires in France, exacerbated by climate change and forest dieback. By combining space-based remote sensing and modeling, it aims to better understand the evolution of forest fuels and their role in fire propagation. Tested on pilot forest areas (Centre-Val de Loire and Pyrénées-Orientales) in connection with field stakeholders, this approach will help improve prevention, strengthen forest resilience, and protect populations, ecosystems, and the forestry economy.

This postdoctoral project focuses on estimating dead fuel produced by forest dieback. In previous projects, a processing chain using Sentinel-2 data has already been developed (Mouret et al., 2024). The objective here is to improve this chain and derive dead fuel estimates, which will be integrated into forest fire spread simulations conducted by another postdoc at the Météopole. Both postdocs will collaborate closely. Since the presence of understory vegetation is also critical for fire propagation, a prospective study on detecting the lower vegetation layer through remote sensing will also be carried out on this topic.

Activités

The responsibilities for this position will include:
Conducting a literature review on the link between forest dieback and fuels (dead and live)
Using and improving the satellite-based forest dieback detection processing chain (RECONFORT) Determining dead fuel related to dieback using satellite data, first in the Centre-Val de Loire region, then across France
Carrying out prospective work on detecting the understory vegetation layer through remote sensing
Engaging in transdisciplinary collaboration and exchanges with another postdoc within the project
Writing scientific article(s)

Compétences

Python programming to automate processing chain
Handling optical, radar, and lidar imagery
Machine/Deep learning and classification
Knowledge of the Linux operating system for using a computing cluster
Interest in transdisciplinarity and teamwork
Autonomy and scientific rigor

Contexte de travail

The Centre d'Études Spatiales de la BIOsphère (CESBIO) is a joint research unit (CNES, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, University of Toulouse) of around 130 people, based mainly in Toulouse. Its mission is to improve the understanding of the functioning of the continental biosphere and its interactions with climate and human activities, relying on a threefold approach: spaceborne remote sensing, modeling, and experimentation. The laboratory contributes to the specification and analysis of data from major space missions (SMOS, Biomass, Venµs, Trishna) and develops models capable of describing and predicting the evolution of continental surfaces under various pressures. CESBIO is organized into two research teams (modeling and observation systems) and maintains a strong international outlook through collaborations and missions abroad.

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.