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Pierre Dublanchet

Pierre Dublanchet

Professor

Center · GEOSCIENCES

Keywords

Team

GEOPHY - Géophysique

Biography

Pierre Dublanchet is a researcher specializing in fault mechanics and physical seismology. His work focuses on the numerical and experimental modeling of seismic and aseismic slip processes, as well as on the interactions between fluids and fault deformation. His research addresses topics such as the dynamics of seismic sequences, the impact of fluid pressure variations on fault stability, and the mechanisms of earthquake nucleation. He also explores the links between friction heterogeneities, tectonic stresses, and transient fault behavior, combining theoretical approaches, numerical simulations, and analyses of geophysical data. His expertise includes the use of rate-and-state friction models to study slow slip phenomena, fluid-induced earthquake swarms, and the relationships between stress and seismic magnitude distributions.

Publication(s)

Teaching

Geoscience and the Anthropocene (GA)

Lecturer

The “Geosciences and the Anthropocene” GA course takes place at several sites impacted by human activity, specifically chosen to deepen students’ understanding of the challenges related to climate change and the energy transition. This course is organized as a one-week intensive off-campus session. For logistical reasons related to the large number of students, the class is divided into six groups working independently under the guidance of a multidisciplinary teaching team. The six groups will be based in the following areas: Paris and Morvan (Île-de-France) Digne-les-Bains and surrounding area (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) Laragne and surrounding area (Hautes-Alpes) Romanche and Drac Valleys (Isère and Hautes-Alpes) Western Pyrenees (French and Spanish) Roya Valley (Alpes-Maritimes) For each group, the teaching team consists of 2 to 3 faculty members, each of whom will supervise a group of 8 students. Within these small groups, instruction will alternate between observation sessions of natural objects, independent work sessions in which students are invited to observe and analyze the geological terrain relevant to the instruction they have received, tutorials, and visits to key sites or engineering structures. Over the course of the week, each team will present the results of their workshops to all the students in their group.

VS Geology Internship

Lecturer

Keep the soil cool

Course Director

Topics covered: heat sources for the Earth system (radioactivity, initial accretion heat, solar radiation, friction); modes of heat transfer (diffusion, convection, radiation); the heat equation in geophysical fluids (solid materials, or viscous fluids—compressible or incompressible); structure of the solid Earth and its fluid envelopes (ocean, atmosphere): observations of the geothermal gradient and ocean topography (“half-space cooling model”). Application to CO₂ storage. Continental geothermal gradient: cratons, sedimentary basins, mountain ranges. Application to geothermal energy and resource storage. Stability of the mantle, thermal convection (“steady-state boundary layer theory”), plate tectonics. Application: global carbon cycle. Concepts of magmatism and associated geochemical sorting; atmospheric stability, thermal convection; atmospheric radiation balance, blackbody law; isothermal and stratified atmospheric models; greenhouse effect, albedo; latitudinal heat transfers: roles of the ocean and the atmosphere. This course will be taught through lectures (50%) and tutorials (50%). The lectures will focus on introducing fundamental tools (energy balances), as well as providing a historical overview of the geophysical observations that have enabled us to establish the structure and dynamics of the planetary layers. Models specific to the various layers (upper crust, deep mantle, atmosphere) will be studied in the tutorials. Depending on class size, the tutorial portion may, to some extent, take the form of group discussions (for example, each group will work on developing a reference model for a specific layer—such as the solid inner Earth or a fluid layer), followed by a presentation of the results to the other groups. One lab session will be devoted to developing a numerical approach (small project). The sessions will be spread over one quarter. The first two will be devoted to lectures. Lab sessions and lectures will alternate thereafter. Lecture notes will be provided at the end of each session. The reference works used to develop the course will also be made available.

Subsurface Geophysics (Internship)

Lecturer

The course will take place off-campus for one week, primarily in the field (in the Fontainebleau Forest, south of Paris), followed by classroom sessions in the afternoon. Introductory lectures: fundamental concepts, survey methods, case studies (magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic, and seismic methods); Fieldwork: acquisition of various types of geophysical data, geological observations. Lab sessions: preparation of data acquisitions, processing, and interpretation; Experimental work and data processing will be conducted in small groups. Students will be expected to take the initiative both in the field and when synthesizing results.

Geosciences (GEOSCIENCES) track

Lecturer

The program is organized into two main periods at the École des Mines: one month in September/October and 15 days in January, as well as an internship period that takes place either at a company or in a research laboratory. The geosciences track is directly linked to the research conducted at the Geosciences Center and involves numerous faculty members from that center, who equip students with the necessary knowledge to engage effectively in meetings and visits with professionals. The two periods—in the fall and in January—consist of lectures, field trips, and mini-projects on the one hand, and site visits and meetings with professionals on the other. The table below outlines the topics covered and the teaching methods. Topic Lectures and Mini-Projects Site Visits, Meetings with Professionals Risk Assessment and Uncertainty Management Risks Associated with Soil Pollution Geostatistical Tools BRGM - Landslide risks Monitoring / characterization Sampling in natural environments Geophysical tools Georeferencing Hydrogeological monitoring Fiber optics Invisensing - Fiber optics research Eau de Paris / SAUR Storengy - Research Center Spotlight – “Continuous Monitoring” Startup Understanding Natural Phenomena and Human Interactions Behavior of Pollutants in Natural Environments Geochemistry Hydrogeochemistry Seismic Imaging Volcanic systems Andra - Underground laboratory for studying nuclear waste storage CGG - Research and data processing center GISFI - Experimental site on a brownfield site Storengy - Research center Resource and waste management Geothermal potential Induced seismicity Hydrogeology in fractured environments Eau de Paris / SAUR Storengy - Underground gas storage site Fonroche - Deep geothermal power plant Ileva - Waste treatment and recovery center EDF - Sainte Rose Hydroelectric Power Plant TOTAL Group CIGEO Project Prevention, Management, and Remediation Participatory Initiatives Artelia New Coastal Road Construction Project in Saint Denis, Réunion EVOLEN Symposium What do young graduates go on to do? Some continue their education by pursuing a Ph.D. in geosciences through industrial collaborations or academic theses: Stanford, ENS, CNRS, CEA, IPGP, MINES Paris Some pursue further training Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M / IFP School / Corps des Mines Some enter the industrial sector, consulting, or public administration: Technic-Atome, EDF, TOTAL, NAVAL, AIR LIQUIDE, SUEZ ARTELIA, MAZAR, AGENCE FRANCAISE DE DEVELOPPEMENT, DRIEE

Natural Environments (Research Quarter)

Course Director

PhD supervision

  • 2023 Physics-informed statistical modeling of earthquakes GIRARD Nicolas
  • 2022 Geomechanics data/processes: Inferring permeability evolution at the laboratory scale BEN KHALED Inès
  • 2019 Fluid-pressure-driven aseismic slip mechanics: modeling of laboratory injection experiments. JIANG Jinlin
  • 2016 Hydro-Mechanical Reactivation of a Fault Rate & State: Slip, Seismicity, and Permeability Evolution ALMAKARI Michelle
  • 2015 Amplitude perturbations of ambient noise at the location of heterogeneities: feasibility study for the exploration and monitoring of multi-fluid reservoirs KAZANTSEV Alexandre