My current work is focused on snow and firn. The work in the past years was focused on how to measure snow properties quantitatively and at higher spatial resolution, and from the field- to the micro-scale. To this goal, I am developing new instruments. Scientifically, I am interested in all physical and geological processes occurring in the snowpack, and in different environments. Recent expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic widened my experience in these fascinating environments.
Specifically i work on the experimental investigation of snow physical properties at the micro- and macroscale (mechanical, thermal, optical), especially using micro-tomography. Using specific new tools, the processes in snow recrystallization, metamorphism and diagenesis are investigated. For this, I work on the development of new instrumentation (3 patents). One goal is also the application of quantitative stratigraphy to larger-scale processes, as remote sensing, avalanche formation and climate research.
Academic Education and Professional Experience
1991: Dr. sc. tech, ETH Zürich (Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering)
1984: Dipl. Kulturing. (Environmental Engineering), ETH Zürich
- Head of Research Unit "Snow and Permafrost since May 2018
- Invited researcher for field experiments in Antarctica (Project Coldest Firn CoFiAP, PI Dr. Sepp Kipfstuhl, Alfred Wegener Institut, Bremerhaven) 2012-2013, more...
- Invited researcher for field experiments in Antarctica (Project EXPLORE, PI Dr. Jérôme Chappellaz, CNRS-LGGE, Grenoble) 2011-2012, more...
- Invited researcher for field experiments (Snowball Earth Analogue, Allan Hills, Antarctica, PI Prof. Stephen Warren, Univ. of Washington) 2010-2011
- Visiting scientist at LGGE/CNRS Grenoble (July 2008), with Dr. Paul Duval
- Lecturer at ETH, since 2007
- Named "Senior Scientist" of WSL since 2006
- Head of Research Group "Snow Physics", 2006-2018
Services
Publications - ORCID
Publicly available publications: Mendeley or ResearchGate