Studied sites

Africa

West bank of the Turkana Depression, seen from the Cretaceous sandstones on the shoulder of the rift. In the distance, in silhouette, a Precambrian base, topped by sandstone (steep outcrop), topped by a ‘pyramid’ of Tertiary basalts. Lake Turkana is in the distance on the right (slightly brown water from the flooding of the River Omo).
  • African rift: 

     Ites members are actively involved in the GdR RIFT

    The main objective of the GdR RIFT is to provide the French scientific community with a structure to bring together the communities of the INSHS, INSU and INEE institutes of the CNRS around the Great African Rift in order to characterise the interrelationships within this complex system including living organisms (including humans), geodynamic and climatic processes. The GdR RIFT is organised around four major interdisciplinary research themes:

    - Rift heritage: conservation and socio-economic issues,
    - System dynamics: changes, risks and responses,
    - Natural resources: distribution and impacts,
    - Training and education: transmission and development.

        Chad Mega-lake

        North Anatolian Fault

        Seismicity Africa

        Lake Nasser

Polar

  •  French Southern and Antarctic Lands

The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) are a privileged study area for many Ites researchers who are heavily involved in the gravimetric, magnetic and seismological National Observation Services (SNO). The missions carried out in the TAAF benefit from strong support from the French Polar Institute (IPEV). In addition to their international role within the SNOs, the measurements carried out in the TAAFs support research themes within Ites, such as cryoseismology, ionospheric magnetism and post-glacial rebound.

  •     Arctic (Spitzbergen)

Svalbard is a site for gravity measurements as part of the SNO gravimetry programme. The missions carried out in Spitzbergen are strongly supported by the French Polar Institute (IPEV). The absolute gravity measurements carried out at Svalbard support the geodetic monitoring of the deformations associated with the post-glacial isostatic rebound and the current melting of the polar ice.