About Julia and her career?
Julia Pfeffer is a research engineer with strong expertise in the monitoring of the global water cycle with satellite geodetic measurements. Since September 2020, she has led the activities in satellite gravimetry developed at Magellium with successful outcomes in all projects involved. She is currently leading the ESA SING project aiming at evaluating the performance of the future satellite gravity missions NGGM and MAGIC, the CNES SAGSA project aiming at developing an operational data and service center in satellite gravimetry, and the Copernicus Marine Service F3O project aiming at improving ocean reanalyses and forecasts with the integration of enhanced river discharge datasets.
With a PhD in Geophysics acquired at the University of Strasbourg, she holds a 1-year experience in scientific research, including a 4-year experience at the Australian National University in Canberra, where she worked towards the development of the ANU GRACE mascon solution. In 2013, she won a postdoctoral fellowship from the CNES, leading to the development of the ALTIGAPS database, quantifying vertical land motions and sea level variations in coastal areas. During her early career, she was involved in the quantification of surface and groundwater storage variations in the Niger (PhD) and Amazon (first postdoc, GET, Toulouse) river basins using in-situ and satellite geodetic data. She successfully mentored Masters Engineer students (Thibaud Gendre, Maxime Ragon, Anne Kockmeyer, Olivier Goux, Judith Garnier) and PhD students (Rebecca McGirr, Maya Nocet-Binois). In Magellium, she contributed to increasing the skills of the Earth Observation Unit in satellite gravimetry (formation and mentoring of Alexandre Boughanemi, Eric Pellereau, Marie Bouih, Ramiro Ferrari, Thomas Vaujour, Louis Kern, Anne Barnoud, Robin Fraudeau, Benjamin Coupry, Noemie Lalau, and Camille Sczypta), to grant the development of future activities in this domain.
She has experience in written (>25 papers published) and oral (>50 presentations at international conferences, >10 invited conferences) scientific communication. She contributed to the production, documentation, and dissemination of several Level 3 and Level 4 datasets (e.g. ALTIGAPS, AusPass, ANU mascon solution) freely accessible online.
What was your role in the project, and how long were you involved?
I was a research engineer in the GRACEFUL project for 4 years in charge of the processing and analysis of satellite gravimetry data.
What was the goal and results of your work in the GRACEFUL project?
The goal of my research was to collect, process, and analyze satellite gravity data to detect subtle signals originating from Earth’s core. To isolate these signals, it was necessary to first remove the effects of mass movements in the ocean, atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and solid Earth—mainly driven by the global water cycle.
Significant gravity anomalies were found at periods of approximately 12, 8, and 6 years. The six-year cycle, in particular, was studied in depth. It became evident that this cycle influences the entire Earth system—from the fluid outer core to the external fluid layers. It affects satellite measurements of gravity, magnetic fields, and Earth’s rotation rate. The origin of the six-year cycle is likely complex and may involve interconnected processes. This line of research has led to several scientific publications.
Beyond your research, did the project bring other benefits to your career, such as networking, conferences, or new opportunities?
The GRACEFUL project was a significant catalyst in my career. It strengthened collaboration between Magellium, CNES, LEGOS, and several other research institutions, paving the way for follow-up initiatives such as ESA’s SLBC CCI+ project. Through GRACEFUL, I had the opportunity to attend multiple international conferences, where I exchanged ideas and explored new project opportunities with fellow researchers.
The project also marked the beginning of satellite gravimetry activities at Magellium, which have since evolved into a range of successful and diverse projects across various domains.