A mixed research unit

For a long time, it was a CNRS unit, though located on three university sites: the École Polytechnique in Palaiseau, the École Normale Supérieure, and Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. LMD became a mixed research unit in 1998. In 2009, an agreement was signed with École nationale des ponts et chaussées for the laboratory to come under its tutelage.

A driving role in several projects

The lab is a member of the IPSL (Pierre Simon Laplace Institute), a federation of six public environmental science research laboratories in Ile-de-France. Within it, LMD played a driving role in several projects and focal areas, in climate modelling, in the Sirta observation site at the Ecole Polytechnique, in planetology, or in servers and databases.

Radiative assessment instruments

LMD has close relations with the CNES (national space research centre). It not only uses extensive spatial data and proposes ideas for new missions, but LMD has also developed free radiative assessment instruments (ScaraB), two of which have been carried on Russian space missions, whilst the third is part of the Franco-Indian Megha-Tropiques mission (launched in 2011). LMD is also closely involved in the development of instruments deployed under the balloons launched by CNES.

Forecasting meteorological phenomena

LMD studies planetary climate, pollution and atmosphere, combining theoretical approaches, the development of observational instruments and digital models. It is at the leading edge of research on dynamical and physical processes applied in studying the development of meteorological and climatic phenomena and forecasting.