A nanosatellite to detect the risk of a Cévenol episode
The goal ofthe “Mediterranean Project” is to better predict Cévenol episodes by collecting data where water vapor forms—that is, at sea. A new initiative proposed by the Montpellier University Space Center (CSUM) and supported by the Van Allen Foundation and its partners, including UM, which is expected to come to fruition in 2021 with the launch of the ROBUSTA-3A MÉDITERRANÉE nanosatellite.
It’s a phenomenon that the people of Montpellier know well: Cévenol episodes. These are a staple of our autumns—almost a part of our folklore—were it not for the fact that the human and material toll is, each time, so heavy. What is perhaps less well known is the origin of these sudden weather events.“The Cévenol or Mediterranean episode is a clash of air masses between the warm, humid air in the lower atmosphere coming from the sea and the cold air at higher altitudes coming from the Cévennes,” explains Laurent Dusseau, director of the Van Allen Foundation and the CSUM.
Measuring water vapor at sea
Today, it is easy to measure these humidity fields using GNSS signals, also known as satellite positioning systems. To put it simply: a system based on a constellation of small satellites that allows us to determine, via our cell phones for example, the time or our 3D location.“These signals will undergo changes due to the presence of water in the atmosphere. “We’ll use these variations to calculate the amount of water vapor at a given location T,” explains Laurent Dusseau. “This is a technique routinely used by Météo-France, and there are many observation points in France.”
There are certainly many observation points in France, but none at sea—and that is precisely what makes this project so unique and innovative.“By detecting these masses of warm air as soon as they form at sea, we could better anticipate Cévenol episodes.” To make this possible, a partnership has been signed with the Port of Sète to install sensors aboard ships sailing in the Mediterranean. Devices emitting signals that will be captured by the Robusta-3A Méditerranée nanosatellite and then relayed in near real time to research teams at ENSTA Bretagne, IGN, and Météo-France, other partners in the study.“For the information to remain valid, it is essential that it be transmitted live,” insists Laurent Dusseau.
A 100% CSUM nanosatellite
Entirely designed by CSUM and financially supported by the Van Allen Foundation and the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) as part of the JANUS project, the Robusta-3A Méditerranée nanosatellite is expected to be ready for launch by the end of 2021. This marks the culmination of a project launched in 2013 that involved 140 students and about a dozen apprentices and interns. The electronic subsystems were developed by CSUM as part of pre-maturation projects led by the Occitanie region. Robusta-3A will thus join the three other nanosatellites already launched by CSUM.
For their part, the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN) and the National School of Advanced Technology (ENSTA) in Brittany, both partners of the CSUM, have been working on determining the amount of data needed to successfully carry out the scientific component of the mission. A thesis co-funded by the foundation and ENSTA will also begin in December to continue the work on methods for analyzing the collected data.“With this project, we are perfectly aligned with the major themes of MUSE,” concludes Laurent Dusseau. “Better anticipation of severe weather events will indeed allow for greater protection of populations.”
The Van Allen Foundation
Established in late 2012, the Van Allen Foundation, a partner of the University of Montpellier (UM), has as its primary mission the collection of funds from corporate sponsorships and the provision of those funds to the UM on behalf of the Montpellier University Space Center (CSUM). It promotes the CSUM’s innovation and development projects through outreach initiatives and oversees the CSUM’s governance.
As a key partner of the University of Montpellier, the Van Allen Foundation has five founding members: UM, Airbus Defense and Space, the microelectronics supplier 3D Plus, the engineering services provider Expleo, and the interconnection systems manufacturer Latécoère Interconnection Systems. Each of them contributes between 50,000 and 100,000 euros annually to the foundation and holds a seat on the board of directors.
The Van Allen Foundation is a key player in fostering collaboration between industry and academia in the space sector, where it promotes the transfer of technology and knowledge. It also provides funding for hands-on training for young people in space-related careers. Since its creation in 2012, 180 student internships have been funded, with €2.75 million invested in the Montpellier University Space Center and its nanosatellite projects.