Welcome to IPSL

The climate, climate change, and more generally, upheavals of the Earth's environment, each year raise a number of both fundamental and applied questions. As we gain in awareness of how man affects the “Earth system” and of the urgent need to initiate profound changes, an in-depth understanding of environmental mechanisms and their reactions to various human disturbances has become essential. IPSL is a unique place for scientific exchange at the intersection of many areas of expertise which come together to meet the ever-growing demand for knowledge, training and the development of innovative solutions to protect the environment.

IPSL: at the heart of climate science


IPSL-Climate Graduate School (IPSL-CGS)

The climate challenges for the coming decades, outlined in the Paris Agreement of 2015, are major and require reinforced fundamental research, more multidisciplinary research on the impacts, and the education of a new generation to act as relays in society to spread understanding of the issues among the population and decision-makers. The education and research aspects are in place in Île-de-France to tackle these colossal issues and to provide effective responses. The IPSL-Climate graduate school (IPSL-CGS) aims to provide an education through research that is recognised and attractive at national and international levels, on issues related to the climate system, climate change and their impacts.

Coordination tools & services

IPSL-Climate Modelling Centre (CMC)

The IPSL-Climate Modelling Centre brings together modelling teams that study the different parts of the climate system and their couplings.

Centre for Earth Observations (I-CEO)

The IPSL's Earth Observation Centre plays a coordinating role in Earth observation activities and acts as a data and service centre.

IPSL Mesocentre (ESPRI)

The ESPRI IPSL Mesocentre brings together a range of services: storage space, calculation servers, virtualisation services, network infrastructure, calculation and analysis software.

SIRTA-ReOBS (Site Instrumental de Recherche par Télédétection Atmosphérique)

SIRTA is an instrumental research site for studying atmospheric physico-chemical processes, understanding climate feedbacks, evaluating models and validating spatial observations.

The Laboratories and Associated Teams

The Institute Pierre-Simon Laplace unites the expertise of eight laboratories and two associated teams specialising in one or more aspects of the climate and environmental sciences and the exploration of the solar system. Nearly 1,500 people (researchers and lecturer-researchers, engineers, technicians, administrative staff, doctoral students, post-docs and interns) work on around ten sites in Île-de-France.
 

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Centre d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Environnement Atmosphérique (CEREA)

CEREA is a joint laboratory combining the Ponts ParisTech school and EDF R&D. It studies the physico-chemical processes of air pollution and of the atmospheric boundary layer as well as data assimilation and inverse modelling in geosciences.

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GEOPS

The Paris-Sud Geosciences laboratory (GEOPS) studies the geological processes produced and / or recorded on the surface of the Earth and solid, earthly planets. It studies the characterisation, tracing, measurement and modelling of these interactions in surface and subsurface environments and reconstructions of them in the past.

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Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations spatiales (LATMOS)

LATMOS is a research unit that brings together activities previously developed by the Service d'Aéronomie and by more than half of CETP. It is part of the Observatory of Sciences of the Universe at UVSQ.

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The TASQ team at LERMA

The TASQ team at the Laboratoire d’Études du Rayonnement et de la Matière en Astrophysique et Atmosphères (LERMA) applies scientific and instrumental skills from the field of spatial observation, including microwave technology at submillimetre level and atmospheric observation using IR spectroscopy. It also has expertise in high precision spectroscopy and the study of molecular processes for atmospheric and planetary applications.

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Laboratoire inter-universitaire des systèmes atmosphériques (LISA)

LISA studies the Earth's atmosphere (atmospheric pollution and climate), the interface between exobiology and planetology, and the question of the evolution of matter towards complex organic systems in various planetary environments.

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Laboratoire de météorologie dynamique (LMD)

The LMD studies climate, pollution and planetary atmospheres by associating theoretical approaches with instrumental developments in observation and digital modelling. It is at the forefront of research on dynamic and physical processes to permit the study of the evolution and prediction of meteorological and climatic phenomena.

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Laboratoire d'océanographie et du climat : expérimentation et approches numériques (LOCEAN)

LOCEAN studies the ocean at a wide range of spatial scales including the role of the ocean on climate variability. The laboratory has also recently undertaken studies on the relationships between climate variability and society as they interact in various contexts (agronomy, economy, health).

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Laboratoire des sciences du climat et de l'environnement (LSCE)

LSCE strives to understand climate change at all timescales and to predict the upheavals that our planet will face in the coming decades and centuries due to the rapid increase in greenhouse gases.

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Laboratoire « Milieux environnementaux, transferts et interactions dans les hydrosystèmes et les sols » (METIS)

The METIS joint research unit is governed by Sorbonne University, CNRS and EPHE and has a special relationship with the Centre for Geosciences at Mines ParisTech. METIS studies how continental environments function and the processes that affect the transfer of water, chemicals, nutrients and contaminants in the soil, subsoil and aquatic environments.

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The ‘Surface & Reservoirs’ team of the Geology Laboratory at ENS

The ‘Surface & Reservoirs’ team of the Geology Laboratory at ENS The ‘Surfaces and Reservoirs’ team of the Geology Laboratory at ENS has been attached to IPSL since 2020 in an effort to work towards the common goal of achieving a better understanding of the Earth system. The team brings its own set of skills in geosciences, especially in soils and subsoils, including material flows (erosion), carbon, and water.

Governing Bodies and Partners