Welcome !

I am an assistant professor of physical oceanography and physics at the Université de Lyon and at the Laboratoire de Physique of ENS de Lyon. I am a physicist with expertise in geophysical fluid dynamics, physical oceanography and ice-ocean interactions. My work aims to discover how turbulence (the root cause of many unsolved problems in geophysical and astrophysical fluid dynamics), waves, phase changes (primarily resulting from ice ablation) and large-scale flows interact and shape the environment we live in. I specialize in the analysis of idealized complex flows (inspired by nature) using reduced-order models, turbulence-resolving numerical simulations and laboratory experiments (since joining ENS de Lyon). Local collaborators are Romain Volk, Sylvain Joubaud, Antoine Venaille, Julien Salort and Francesca Chillà. They have expertise in turbulence research, laboratory experiments, geophysical fluid dynamics, statistical mechanics and topology.

Current research interests include: (i) modelling of the ice-shelf–ocean boundary layer, (ii) multi-stability of ice-shelf ocean cavities, (iii) morphological stability and dynamics of ice-ocean interfaces, (iv) dynamics of subglacial lakes, (v) dynamics of subglacial water environments on icy moons, (vi) wave–mean-flow interactions and (vii) statistical learning methods for reduced-order climate modelling. Visit the Projects webpage to know more about the outstanding Earth Sciences questions our group aims to address.

If you’re a student, postdoc or researcher interested in joining or visiting our lab, please send me an email at louis.couston … [AT] … ens-lyon.fr or stop by my office at M1 020, ENS de Lyon, 46, allée d’Italie, 69007, Lyon, France. Open positions will be advertised at the bottom of this webpage. You can visit the Resources webpage for reccuring funding opportunities.

Note that I go by Louis (he/him/his), even though my full first name is Louis-Alexandre.