His Work
Jean Braun specializes in modeling complex Earth Systems and, most recently, the long-term evolution of the Earth's surface under the combined effects of tectonics and climate. He and his group have developed sophisticated mathematical methods to solve equations describing a variety of surface processes such as fluvial erosion, sediment transport and glacial abrasion. Using these methods they have recently demonstrated how climate variability affects the efficiency of many erosional processes and demonstrated a close link between the shape of drainage basins, the strength of the underlying lithosphere and the peculiar distribution of plant and animal species (or micro-endemism) that characterizes many ocean islands such as Madagascar.