LPC2E · OSUC · CNRS · University of Orléans

Sébastien Célestin, Ph.D.

Professor of Physics — University of Orléans, France
Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of the Environment and Space (LPC2E)
Member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 2021–2026

LPC2E / CNRS, 3A avenue de la Recherche Scientifique, 45071 Orléans Cedex 2, France sebastien.celestin@cnrs-orleans.fr +33 2 38 25 79 83

Research interests

My research centers on the acceleration of particles in the atmosphere, and in thunderstorms in particular, where it gives rise to relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREAs) and related nonlinear feedback effects.

I am also interested in transient luminous events (halos, sprites, blue and gigantic jets) and in non-thermal plasma physics, such as streamer discharges, which underlie many of these processes.

These problems span a very broad range of energy, at the crossover between non-equilibrium plasma physics and high-energy physics. To tackle them, I am involved in both instrumental and theoretical efforts — from balloon-borne gamma-ray instrumentation to the modeling of runaway electron avalanches and thermal runaway processes.

Instrumentation & major projects

2020 – present

STRATELEC

Co-Principal Investigator (CNES); Principal Investigator of the instrument XStorm (gamma-ray spectrometer)

A superpressure-balloon payload to characterize the electrical activity of tropical thunderstorms, flown on board the Strateole-2 campaigns in 2024 at an altitude of ~18–20 km.

2018 – present

OREO

Principal Investigator (CNES)

A lightweight-balloon project performing in-situ measurements of gamma-ray glows and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.

2017 – 2020

TARANIS – XGRE

Co-Investigator, X/gamma/high-energy electron detector (CNES)

The TARANIS satellite launch failed on November 17, 2020.

Recent publications

View full publication list (60 articles) →

Celestin, S., M. B. Garnung, T. Farges, B. Kosar, L. Boggs, and P. M. Smith, 2026, Green Emissions From Sprite Tops, J. Geophys. Res., 131, e2026JA035144. DOI
Hazem, Y., S. Celestin, F. Trompier, and Y. Hobara, 2026, Detecting Thunderstorm-Related High-Energy Phenomena in Weak Signals, J. Geophys. Res., 131, e2025JD045152. DOI
Pasko, V. P., S. Celestin, and A. Bourdon, 2026, Relativistic Feedback Discharges in Dielectric Solids, Phys. Rev. Lett., 136, 095301. DOI
Pasko, V. P., S. Celestin, A. Bourdon, R. Janalizadeh, Z. Pervez, J. Jánský, and P. Gourbin, 2025, Photoelectric effect in air explains lightning initiation and terrestrial gamma ray flashes, J. Geophys. Res., 130, e2025JD043897. DOI
Pallu, M., S. Celestin, and P. Laurent, 2025, Numerical simulations for optimizing small satellite constellations for TGF studies, J. Geophys. Res., 130, e2024JD042528. DOI

Awards & professional service

2014 URSI (International Union of Radio Science) Young Scientist Award

2026–present: LPC2E Space Plasmas Team Coordinator
2024–present: Executive Board member, Department of Physics, University of Orléans
2022–2023: Member of the AGU Canvassing Committee for the focus group Atmospheric and Space Electricity (ASE)
2021: Member of the AGU Fellows Committee for the focus group ASE
2019–2023: Chair of the URSI French National Committee, Commission G
2016–2019: Vice-chair of the URSI French National Committee, Commission G
2016–2024: Member of the CNES working group Sun–Heliosphere–Magnetosphere (SHM)
2014–2019: Member of the Scientific Council of the Sun-Earth National Program (PNST), France
2014–2024: Member of the Executive Council of LPC2E, University of Orléans, CNRS
Since 2014 (Senior Member, 2020): International Union of Radio Science (URSI)
Since 2009: Member, American Geophysical Union