Léo Edel

Léo Edel is a geophysicist and obtained his PhD researching snowfall in the Arctic using microwave remote sensing at the Laboratory of Dynamic Meteorology, École Polytechnique  (France) in 2019.

Most of Edel’s past work has been focused on how to better characterize the snowfall in the Arctic. Another major axis of Edel’s PhD research has been to investigate the potential of passive remote sensing to detect snow falling in the Arctic using machine learning. His work has shown that passive satellites can be used for snowfall detection, extending the period of documented snowfall occurring in the Arctic from 4 to 20 years. Snowfall impacts the livelihoods of people living in the region. By studying the patterns of snowfall, researchers can better understand how it is changing and inform decisionmakers on how to adapt and to protect the Arctic people and environment.

Edel’s current work focuses on improving sea-ice thickness estimations in an ocean model (called TOPAZ), using a combined approach of artificial intelligence and data assimilation. Improving the estimation of sea-ice thickness can provide crucial information to make better predictions on the future sea-ice trends. It can also help mitigate the consequences of sea-ice loss on relevant sectors such as navigation, oil exploration, as well as fishing industries, in addition to the livelihoods of Arctic communities that rely on sea ice.