Research interests
My areas of research interests are related to physical oceanography and geophysical fluid dynamics specifically coastal, shelf and slope hydrodynamics, geophysical turbulence and mixing, and internal waves generation and propagation in stratified flows.
I obtained a PhD aimed at understanding the hydrodynamics of submarine canyons and their role in vertical exchanges under the influence of winds, slope currents and tides. My study was centered on two contrasted cases: the Cassidaigne canyon, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, and the Capbreton canyon, South Bay of Biscay. In the Cassidaigne canyon, my work focused on the generation of transient and stationary deep vertical currents under the influence of surface dynamics. In the Capbreton canyon, I concentrated on analyzing transient processes related to winds and storms, as well as the generation and propagation of internal tides in the canyon due to deep stratification.
I am currently working on the POLOMINTS (POLar Ocean Mixing by Internal TSunamis) project, dedicated to the understanding and characterization of the role of internal tsunamis induced by ice-calving in vertical mixing in polar regions. Understanding this process in fast-evolving polar regions is essential in the context of climate change. My study focuses primarily on the generation, propagation and breaking of internal waves induced by ice-calving from the Sheldon marine-terminating glacier in Ryder Bay, on the Western Antarctic Peninsula. It aims to characterize the dynamics of internal tsunamis generation by identifying the relationship between these processes and calving magnitude and type, and the dependance between their propagation and the bay topography. The analysis also involves investigating their seasonal variability, the internal wave energy and associated dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy, the mixing efficiency, their large-scale relevance and their future evolution.
Current projects
POLOMINTS
Relevant past projects
Role of submarine canyons on slope circulation: two contrasted cases in the Mediterranean Sea and Bay of Biscay - PhD. Funded by Ifremer. Oct 21 - Nov 24. https://hal.science/tel-05019017v1
Peer-reviewed publications
Brun L., Pairaud I., Silva Jacinto R., Garreau, P. and Dennielou B. (2023) Strong hydrodynamic processes observed in the Mediterranean Cassidaigne submarine canyon. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, p. 436-453, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1078831
Brun L., Garreau P., Pairaud I., Silva Jacinto R. (2025) Deep Canyon-Upwellings in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea in Contrast With Open Oceans. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 130, e2024JC022008, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JC022008
Other publications
Brun L., Silva Jacinto R., Dennielou B., Pairaud I. and Garreau P. (2022), Reworking and transfer to the deep sea of fine-grained turbiditic deposits in the Cassidaigne submarine canyon by internal and regional currents. Virtual Bouma Conference, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs45eL0rUIg
Brun L., Pairaud I., Silva Jacinto R., Garreau P. and Dennielou B. (2023), Hydrodynamic dataset from the UPCAST and CASSISED campaigns in the Cassidaigne canyon (NW Mediterranean Sea). SEANOE, https://doi.org/10.17882/92820, https://www.seanoe.org/data/00816/92820/
Brun L., Pairaud I., Silva Jacinto R., Garreau P. and Dennielou B. (2023) Hydrodynamics of the Mediterranean Cassidaigne submarine canyon from observations. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-5490
Brun L., Garreau P., Pairaud I. and Silva Jacinto R. (2024), Modeling results of an upwelling in an idealized submarine canyon under different stratified conditions. SEANOE, https://doi.org/10.17882/98745, https://www.seanoe.org/data/00876/98745/
Research expeditions
March/April 2023: C-SWOT/WEMSWOT oceanographic cruise, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, RV Atalante (SHOM). Garreau P. (2023), C-SWOT-2023 cruise, RV Tethys II, https://doi.org/10.17600/18002077
September 2023: PLUMEFLOC oceanographic cruise, Bay of Biscay, RV Pelagia (NIOZ)
Public engagement
2022: Organiser of scientific outreach events for Ifremer’s PhD students as a member of the Ifremer’s PhD association, Brest, France.
2022: Participation in an awareness-raising event on climate change for “La Fête de la Science”, Brest, France, Fête de la Science | Université de Bretagne Occidentale
2022: Presentation of a poster on submarine canyons’ hydrodynamics during the scientific outreach event “Science en Theizh 2022”, Brest, France
2022 and 2023: Presentations on research and doctoral studies to students from master and engineering school, Brest, France
2023: Communication manager of the PhD association Dakodoc, aiming at gathering PhD students working on different research projects in Brest during workshops and afterwork events. Organisation of the scientific outreach event “Science en Theizh 2023” aiming at promoting young researchers in Brittany, Brest, France, https://www.scienceentheizh.fr
2023: Presentation of a quiz on submarine canyons’ hydrodynamics during “Science en Theizh 2023”, Brest, France
2023: Training for the scientific outreach competition entitled “My PhD in 180 seconds”, Brest, France
2023: Participation in writing a blog to present and monitor the WEMSWOT 2023 oceanographic campaign: https://www.swot-adac.org/blogs/c-swot-2023/
2024: President of the association Dakodoc. Organisation and supervision of the scientific outreach event “Science en Theizh 2024”
2024: Presentation of a poster entitled “Role of submarine canyons on oceanic circulation” for the UBO (University of Western Brittany) research Day, Brest, France
Prizes / awards
Presentation of a poster entitled “Role of submarine canyons on oceanic circulation" for the UBO research Day in 2024, awarded the jury prize by the UBO Foundation, Brest, France, À Brest, trois doctorants récompensés par la fondation UBO | Le Télégramme
Media coverage
Le Télégramme, Brest, France
18/01/2024: À Brest, Science en Theizh, pour que comprendre les sciences ne soit pas sorcier | Le Télégramme
24/01/2024: À Brest, trois doctorants récompensés par la fondation UBO | Le Télégramme
17/04/2024: Trois bonnes raisons de se rendre à Science en Theizh, à Brest | Le Télégramme
23/04/2024: À Brest, Science en Theizh a réussi son opération vulgarisation | Le Télégramme
Relevant employment history
Since May 2025: PDRA in Physical Oceanography. SAMS
2021-24: PhD in Physical Oceanography. Ifremer
2021: M2 Internship. IMFT
Education
2024 PhD 'Role of canyons on slope circulation: two contrasted cases in the Mediterranean Sea and Bay of Biscay'. UBO
2021 Master SOAC. Science of Ocean, Atmosphere and Climate. Université Paul Sabatier
2021 Engineering degree. Mechanical and Hydraulic Engineering. INP ENSEEIHT