Anny Cazenave facts for kids

Anny Cazenave is a French scientist who studies Earth from space. She is a pioneer in using satellites to measure the height of the ocean surface. This method is called satellite altimetry.

Anny Cazenave works for the French space agency CNES. She has also been a leader at the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Switzerland. Her work helps us understand how our planet is changing.

She is a key scientist in missions like TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1. These missions use satellites to measure sea levels. Her research has greatly improved our understanding of sea level rise caused by global warming. She has also helped write important reports about climate change for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Early Life and Education

Anny Cazenave was born on March 3, 1944, in Draveil, France. She did not come from a family of scientists. However, she became very interested in studying the Earth and space.

She earned a special degree in astronomy in Paris in 1969. Later, in 1975, she received her Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of Toulouse. Geophysics is the study of Earth's physical processes.

Studying Earth from Space

From 1975 to the mid-1990s, Anny Cazenave studied how Earth's gravity changes over time and in different places. She used data from satellites like SEASAT and ERS-1. This helped her create models of how gravity works in the deep ocean.

These models helped scientists learn about features like deep ocean trenches and how the Earth's crust changes. She also studied how seamount chains, which are underwater mountains, are formed.

Measuring Sea Level Changes

In the 1990s, Anny Cazenave started focusing on space oceanography. This is the study of oceans using tools in space. She used data from satellite missions like TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, and the Ocean Surface Topography Mission.

Her work helped show that the global sea level was rising by about three millimeters each year. She was one of the first scientists to use satellite data to figure this out. She also used data from the GRACE satellites. This helped her understand how much water was stored in ice sheets and on land.

Anny Cazenave is also interested in measuring changes in Earth's gravity. This helps her study how much ice sheets are melting. It also shows how much water is stored on land.

Climate Change and Sea Levels

Anny Cazenave is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This group provides scientific information about climate change. She was a main author for the sections on sea level in their 2007 and 2014 reports.

She has warned about the effects of climate change on rising sea levels. For example, she pointed out that very flat areas like Bangladesh could face problems. Rising sea levels could cause saltwater to mix with their fresh groundwater. This would make the water undrinkable.

Awards and Recognition

Anny Cazenave has received many awards for her important work. In 2004, she was chosen to be a member of the French Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for scientists in France.

In 2012, she received the William Bowie Medal. This is a major award from the American Geophysical Union. She is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Some of her other awards include:

• Doisteau-Blutet Prize from the French Academy of Sciences (1979, 1990)
• CNRS Bronze Medal (1980)
• Knight of the National Order of Merit (1981)
• Vening Meinesz Medal (1999)
• Knight of the Legion of Honour (2000)
• Arthur Holmes Medal & Honorary Membership (2005)
• Officer of the Legion of Honour (2010)
• Prix Georges Lemaître (2015)
• BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award (2018)
• Vetlesen Prize (2020)

See also

In Spanish: Anny Cazenave para niños