My research interest is the characterization of vegetation stress under human pressures
in heterogeneous ecosystems from optical remote sensing, in particular imaging spectroscopy. The methodology relies on the coupling of physical modeling & IA strategies, including scene 2D/3D modeling, radiative transfer simulations (PROSPECT, SAIL, DART) and regression models from machine learning methods. This involves designing high-precision experimental campaigns and performing forward an inverse modeling approaches targeting an accurate retrieval and monitoring of surface optical and biophysico-chemical-structural properties. My studied cases are generally natural and human-managed ecosystems (forest, urban, crop) for a variety of applications (risk prevention associated with increasing droughts and fires in forests, increasing imperviousness and overheating in cities, resource management and food security in crop). This downstream research relies on the expertise of numerous national and international collaborations.

Some of my challenges are:

• Target the tree scale from satellite/airborne decametric spatial resolutions: how to improve sub-pixel characterization by better accounting for the spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability of the ecosystems in physical modeling ?
• Better physical understanding between wave-matter interactions and functional/structural vegetation traits : how the use of multi-platform (from lab, field, UAV, airplane to satellite level), multi-scale (from leaf to canopy) and multi-modal remote sensing data (passive optical/thermal imaging, 3-D LiDAR, radar and polarimetric) give us a better physical understanding of our observations ?
• Provide reliable vegetation products for current and upcoming satellite missions, in particular for imaging spectroscopy missions: how to build transferable and robust methods between and intra-ecosystems ?

Working experience & Education

• Since 2016: Research scientist, DOTA optics department, ONERA, Toulouse, France
• 2015-2016: Post-doctoral fellow, CSTARS, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
• 2014-2015: Post-doctoral fellow, LISAH, Montpellier, France
• 2010-2014: Ph.D. in remote sensing, ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse, France (host lab: ONERA)
• 2010: M.Sc. in Signal Image Acoustics and Optimization, University of Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
• 2010: Engineer in Electronics and Image/Signal processing, INP-ENSEEIHT, Toulouse France

Scientific responsabilities

• Since 2024: responsible of the “Physics of measurements” module in the “Earth Observation and Universe Sciences” core curriculum in the ISAE-SUPAERO engineering school
• Since 2022: member of the scientific committee of the French Spatial Remote Sensing Program (PNTS, CNRS-INSU), project evaluation and organization of annual thematic workshops
• Since 2019: board member of the Hyperspectral Group of the French Society for Photogrammetry and Remote sensing (SFPT-GH): organization and/or scientific committee roles for annual national conferences
• 2019: principal coordinator of the SFPT-GH 8th conference, Toulouse, France (9–10 July 2019)
• Since 2016: contribution to future hyperspectral satellite missions led by CNES (CHIMERE, HYSP, BIODIVERSITY) for vegetation applications

Projects

• 2024-2028: ANR PRCE MONI-TREE “Monitoring tree comfort in cities: a multi-scale approach using multi-modal remote sensing, physical modelling, deep learning and in-situ data”, PI: T. Corpetti (LETG), Co-I: ONERA, ECOBIO, SILVA, IRISA, AUBEPINE
• 2023-2024: APR CNES SR4VEG “Using super-resolution to assess the urban tree vegetation condition for the Sentinel-Next HR and Biodiversity missions”, PI: T. Corpetti (LETG), Co-I: ONERA, CESBIO, IRISA, CEDRIC
• 2023-2026: ANR JCJC CANOP “Remotely sensed leaf biochemistry intra-individual variability in orchard tree CANOPies for agroecology”, PI: K. Adeline (ONERA), Partners: CESBIO, TETIS, EMMAH, GAFL, PSH 
• 2020-2024: ASTRESS “aSSessment of the urban TRees hEalth StatuS by remote sensing”, PI: J. Nabucet (LETG), Partners: Rennes Metropolis, ONERA, ECOBIO
• 2020-2022: ARI HEALTHY “VIS-SWIR & TIR synergy to monitor open forest water stress in preparation of French and American observation missions”, PI: K. Adeline (ONERA), Partners: CSTARS & Biomet Lab (univ. of Davis and Berkeley, CA, USA), CSIC-SpecLab & UCO-DAUCO (ES)
• 2021-2024: APR CNES SentHyMED “Complementarity between Sentinel-2 multi-temporal imagery and hyperspectral imagers for a better monitoring of Mediterranean forests functional traits”, PI: K. Adeline (ONERA), Co-I: CESBIO, DYNAFOR, TETIS, CEFE, Partner: AMAP
• 2019-2021: MEDOAK proposal “Measuring species traits to assess biodiversity-ecosystem functioning from spectroscopic imagery: a study case in the French MEDiterraneanbasin with OAK forests”, PI: K. Adeline (ONERA), Co-I: TETIS, CEFE, DYNAFOR, CSTARS (univ. of Davis, CA, USA)
• 2019-2021: APR CNES HyperMED “Species traits assessment to monitor tree health condition over open mediterranean forest ecosystems for a hyperspectral imager”, PI: K. Adeline (ONERA), Co-I: CESBIO, CSTARS & Biomet Lab (univ. of Davis and Berkeley, CA, USA), Partners: C. Schaaf’s lab (Univ. of Boston, MA, USA)
• 2016-2020: CNES R&T CHIMERE Pre-phase 0, PI: X. Briottet & K. Adeline (ONERA)
• 2014-2019: NAOMI research and industry partnership “New Advanced Observation Method Integration”, PI: P.-Y. Foucher (ONERA) & D. Dubucq (TOTALEnergies)
• 2016-2019: APR CNES CATUT “Urban temperature mapping with THIRSTY/TRISHNA”, PI: J.-P. Lagouarde (ISPA), Co-I: ONERA, LETG, Global Change Unit (Univ. of Valencia, ES)
• 2011-2016: NASA-ROSES “Identification of Plant Functional Types By Characterization of Canopy Chemistry Using an Automated Advanced Canopy Radiative Transfer Model”, PI: S. Ustin (CSTARS, Univ. of Davis, CA, USA), Partners: NASA JPL, NASA Earth Exchange, Biomet Lab (Univ. of Berkeley, CA, USA), C. Schaaf’s lab (Univ. of Boston, MA, USA), CESBIO
• 2015-2018: “Real-Time Irrigation Metrics for Improved Water Use Efficiency in Orchards and Vineyards”, PI: Univ. of Davis (CA, USA), Partners: IRTA (ES), Univ. of Monterey (CA, USA), NASA-AMES, TerraBella-Google Inc.
• 2014-2015: APR CNES MiHySpecSol “HYPXIM Mission: impact of the spectral resolution for mapping perennial soil properties in Mediterranean environments”, PI: C. Gomez (LISAH), Co-I: ONERA, ITAP
• 2010-2014: ANR VEGDUD “The role of plants in sustainable urban development: an approach based on issues relating to climatology, hydrology, energy management and atmosphere”, PI: M. Musy (IRSTV), Co-I: LCPC, CSTB, LEPTIAB, ONERA, SEVE Nantes, LPGN, EPHYSE, GAME, IRSN

Student supervision and committee

Ph.D. students

• M. Vandewynckele (2025-2028) “Analysis of urban tree physiology: modeling and machine learning using optical and radar imagery “, co-advisors: LETG & ONERA
• N. Sikora (2023-2026) “Fine mapping of orchard health and nutritional status using multi-modal drone data in support of agro-ecological practices”, co-advisors: ONERA & EMMAH
• R. Demoulin (2023-2026) “Remote sensing data fusion monitoring of vegetation cover characteristics for better prediction of agricultural yields from remote sensing data fusion”, co-advisors: CESBIO, HYPERPLAN & ONERA
• M. Porterie (2022-2025) “Monitoring Mediterranean forests state for fire risk assessment: a multi-sensor remote sensing approach”, co-advisor: ONERA
• T. Le Saint (2021-2024) “Monitoring of tree vegetation health in urban areas using time series remote sensing time series: application to the city of Rennes”, co-advisors: LETG & ONERA
• T. Gaubert (2020-2023) “Estimation of mountain forest species traits for future hyperspectral missions”, co-advisors: ONERA, CSTARS(USA) & ITC(NL)
• T. Miraglio (2018-2021) “Species traits estimation of Mediterranean open forest using hyperspectral remote sensing”, co-advisors: ONERA & CSTARS(USA)
• E. Ducasse (2015-2018) “Fine mapping of mineralogical clays by unmixing hyperspectral images at very high spatial resolution”, co-advisors: ONERA & BRGM

Post-doctoral fellows and contract engineers

• M. Debue (2023) “Assessment of the optical parameterisation influence of the DART 3D radiative transfer model on the simulation of multi- and hyperspectral images of open/dense forest scenes”, 11 months contract engineer, co-advisors: CESBIO & ONERA, collab. TETIS & AMAP
• C. Granero Belinchon (2019-2020) “Monitoring urban trees state using high temporal resolution SENTINEL-2 and Venµs satellite data”, 1 year Post-Doc, co-advisor: ONERA, collab. CNRM
• A. Michel (2017) “Surface temperature estimation for urban heat island observation as part of the TRISHNA multispectral infrared thermal satellite mission”, 10 months contract engineer, co-advisors: ISPA & ONERA

Master students

• T. Ferrand (2022) “Influence of 3D tree modelling on the electromagnetic signal reproducing a given scene: evaluation of LiDAR-Optical-Radar complementarity with simulated and remotely sensed data”
• S. Ollivier (2022) “Re-lighting tree shadows in urban environments by combining machine learning, 3D physical simulations and remote sensing”
• R. Demoulin (2022) “Methodological optimisation for the functional characterisation of Mediterranean forests using hyperspectral imagery and machine learning”
• L. Chauvet (2020) “Estimation of biodiversity variables in a Mediterranean forest for the two French and American hyperspectral space missions (CNES and NASA)”
• J.-V. Schmitt (2018) “Evaluation of the tree structure impact on the estimation of vegetation biochemical properties”

Contribution to Ph.D. student grants

• 2 EUR-TESS Mobility grants (M. Porterie and R. Demoulin) and 1 EUR-TESS Booster grant (T. Gaubert)

Contribution to committees

• O. Regaieg (2023) “Modelling the radiative transfer of solar-induced fluorescence, thermal emission and the radiation balance of 3D plant cover: towards a complete RIS model”, Ph.D. defense committee, examinator
• M. Al Hayek (2021-2024) “Optical modelling of spectral and polarimetric object signatures to improve the performance of a recognition system”, Ph.D. steering committee member
• A. Serwah (2023) “Biodiversity Assessment Using Satellite Imagery In San Joaquin Experimental Range, California”, M.Sc. defense committee, exterior examinator

Teaching

• Since 2016: “Introduction to remote sensing and visible–infrared spectral imaging (0.4–2.5 µm)” for last year students in the engineering school ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse

Peer-reviewed journal and conference activities

• Special issues: guest editor for “Remote sensing of savannas and woodlands II” (Remote Sensing journal) and editor-in-chief member for “hyperspectral” (French Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)
• Journal reviewer for: Remote Sensing of Environment, Remote Sensing, International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, International Journal of Remote Sensing and Remote Sensing Letters, Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, Journal of Forestry Research, Science of remote sensing
• Scientific committee reviewer for: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing – ISPRS (2020/2021/2022), IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium – IGARSS (2024/2025/2026)

Publications

List available here