Elodie Lesage

Elodie is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Planetary Interiors and Geophysics Group at JPL where she studies the Ocean Worlds of the outer solar system.

Elodie obtained a B.S. in Physics in Nice, France and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Planetary Sciences in Paris. During her graduate studies, Elodie got fascinated by the Jupiter’s moon Europa and began to model the transport of water through its icy shell. She combines models developed for Earth magma chambers and ice mechanics to understand under which conditions liquid water could erupt on Europa’s surface. Elodie also got specialized in the generation of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of Europa’s surface through innovative techniques in order to maximize the information we have on potential past water eruptions.

Now, as a postdoc, Elodie continues to model the cryovolcanic activity of Europa and other Ocean Worlds of our solar system and beyond and works on optimizing the DEMs of the icy moon surfaces. She applies her research to the development of probes aiming to reach subsurface water on Europa. She also joined the Europa Clipper mission adventure as a Project Science Affiliate.

Outside of her research, Elodie is passionate about outreach and loves sharing her excitement for the Ocean Worlds and their exploration.