CHAMBAT Frédéric

Structure et dynamique du manteau, Planétologie
These past years, with Yanick Ricard, Renaud Deguen et al., we have been considering fluids crossing a zone of rapid density change, so thin that they can be considered as a density jump interface. For a Newtonian viscous fluid with low Reynolds number that keeps its rheological properties within the interface, we have shown that the traction cannot be continuous across the density jump because the tangential stress is singular. The appropriate jump conditions have been established and we are implementing them in convection codes.
With Nicolas Rambaux et al., we investigate the hydrostatic shape and gravitational potential coefficients of self-gravitating and rotating bodies large enough to have undergone internal differentiation and chemical stratification. The main purpose is to develop the reference hydrostatic shape for relatively fast rotating bodies up to third order to reach an sufficient accuracy to interpret the global gravity and shape observations of various space missions (on large asteroids, dwarf planets and TNO).
My third main research theme is history of sciences, especially the critical edition of D’Alembert's complete works : I am the editor of the 'Reflexions sur la cause générale des vents' (1747), a work on the dynamics of atmosphere and oceans due to the lunar and solar tides.