- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations
- Landslides and related hazards
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Climate variability and models
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Climate change and permafrost
- Hydrological Forecasting Using AI
- Precipitation Measurement and Analysis
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Geotechnical Engineering and Analysis
- Dam Engineering and Safety
- Hydrology and Drought Analysis
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Advanced Mathematical Modeling in Engineering
- Rock Mechanics and Modeling
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Geophysics and Gravity Measurements
- Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Noise Effects and Management
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
- Tree Root and Stability Studies
- Fault Detection and Control Systems
- Greenhouse Technology and Climate Control
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research
2016-2025
University of Bern
2016-2025
Terra
2024
University of Lausanne
1984-2019
Geomatics (Norway)
2011
Monash University
2007
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
2004-2006
Abstract. The development of susceptibility maps for debris flows is primary importance due to population pressure in hazardous zones. However, hazard assessment by process-based modelling at a regional scale difficult the complex nature phenomenon, variability local controlling factors, and uncertainty parameters. A must consider simplified approach that not highly parameter dependant can provide zonation with minimum data requirements. distributed empirical model has thus been developed...
Abstract This study analyses the uncertainty induced by use of different state‐of‐the‐art climate models on prediction climate‐change impacts runoff regimes 11 mountainous catchments in Swiss Alps having current proportions glacier cover between 0 and 50%. The scenarios analysed are result 19 regional model (RCM) runs obtained for period 2070–2099 based two greenhouse‐gas emission (the A2 B2 defined Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change) three coupled atmosphere‐ocean general circulation...
Abstract. Unlike fragmental rockfall runout assessments, there are only few robust methods to quantify rock-mass-failure susceptibilities at regional scale. A detailed slope angle analysis of recent Digital Elevation Models (DEM) can be used detect potential source areas, thanks the Slope Angle Distribution procedure. However, this method does not provide any information on block-release frequencies inside identified areas. The present paper adds cliffs unit its normalized cumulative...
Abstract. We present CAMELS-CH (Catchment Attributes and MEteorology for Large-sample Studies – Switzerland), a large-sample hydro-meteorological data set hydrologic Switzerland in central Europe. This domain covers 331 basins within neighboring countries. About one-third of the catchments are located Austria, France, Germany Italy. As an Alpine country, vast diversity landscapes, including mountainous environments, karstic regions, several strongly cultivated along with wide range...
Abstract. Debris flows are among the most dangerous processes in mountainous areas due to their rapid rate of movement and long runout zone. Sudden rather unexpected impacts produce not only damages buildings infrastructure but also threaten human lives. Medium- regional-scale susceptibility analyses allow identification endangered suggest where further detailed studies have be carried out. Since data availability for larger regions is mostly key limiting factor, empirical models with low...
Abstract. Debris flow hazard modelling at medium (regional) scale has been subject of various studies in recent years. In this study, zonation was carried out, incorporating information about debris initiation probability (spatial and temporal), the delimitation potential runout areas. out area Consortium Mountain Municipalities Valtellina di Tirano (Central Alps, Italy). The complexity phenomenon, variability local conditioning factors, lacking data limited use process-based models for zone...
Abstract. An adaptation technique based on the synoptic atmospheric circulation to forecast local precipitation, namely analogue method, has been implemented for western Swiss Alps. During calibration procedure, relevance maps were established geopotential height data. These highlight locations was found of interest precipitation forecasting at two rain gauge stations (Binn and Les Marécottes) that are located both in alpine Rhône catchment, a distance about 100 km from each other. sensitive...
Abstract. Spatial information on past weather contributes to better understanding the processes behind day-to-day variability and assessing risks arising from extremes. For Switzerland, daily resolved spatial meteorological parameters is restricted period starting 1961, whereas prior that local station observations are only source of long-term data. While attempts have been made reconstruct patterns for certain extreme events, task creating a continuous reconstruction dataset Switzerland has...
Abstract Perfect prognosis statistical downscaling relies on the relationships established using observational data for predictands and predictors. Predictors are often retrieved from reanalyses, which considered pseudo‐observations. The impact of choice a reanalysis dataset performance method is usually overlooked, as global reanalyses frequently assumed to be equivalent last few decades data‐rich regions such Europe. However, it was recently shown that can have bigger skill than predictor...
Abstract Analog methods are based on a statistical relationship between synoptic meteorological variables (predictors) and local weather (predictand, to be predicted). This is defined by several parameters, which often calibrated means of semiautomatic sequential procedure. calibration approach fast, but has strong limitations. It proceeds through successive steps, thus cannot handle all parameter dependencies. Furthermore, it automatically optimize some such as the selection pressure levels...
Abstract Hydropower plays a significant role in the transition towards low-carbon power system, being renewable energy source that can complement solar and wind power, which are highly intermittent. However, hydropower is itself dependent on local weather conditions climate variability. Moreover, extreme conditions, such as hot-dry compound events, have major impact production (HP). Here, we examine impacts of HP under current future scenarios Switzerland, country where provides biggest...
Earthquake-triggered landslides show three important characteristics: they are often responsible for a considerable proportion of the damage sustained during mountain region earthquakes, non-randomly distributed across space, and continue to evolve in years after earthquake. Despite this, planning future earthquakes rarely takes into consideration either or their evolution with time. Here we couple unique timeseries mapped between 2014–2020 area Nepal impacted by 2015 M w 7.8 Gorkha...
ABSTRACT Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) are important freshwater resources. Glacier recession may lead to a significant decrease summer runoff. This study focuses on Afghanistan western Himalayas with an arid semi-arid climate, where, despite strong societal and ecosystem dependance upon mountain water resources, contribution of glacier melt is poorly known. used new conceptual precipitation ice melt-runoff model assess current future streamflow, taking into account effects...
The cryosphere in mountain areas serves as a critical water resource, supplying melt to downstream communities spring well summer months for irrigation and human consumption. Effects of climate warming on the therefore availability are expected be substantial many ranges worldwide. An accurate representation glacier processes is thus crucial predict future catchments that currently at least partially glacier-covered. Hydrological models often focus meltwater-streamflow transformation...
Alpine glaciated catchments exhibit complex hydrological streamflow dynamics influenced by temperature effects on snow and ice melt as well precipitation, resulting in seasonally varying diel cycles. These cycles shift become more intense during the summer season due to reduced buffering declining cover associated progressive development of efficient subglacial drainage systems. This variation is importance, especially for sediment transport, which commonly a non-linear function...
In the era of large-sample hydrology (LSH), there is still a lack in availability consistent data related to water quality. To address this gap, we introduce CAMELS-CH-Chem, dataset inspired by recently published CAMELS-Chem for contiguous United States. CAMELS-CH-Chem extends CAMELS-CH (Catchment Attributes and Meteorology Large-sample Studies Switzerland) integrating stream chemical parameters atmospheric deposition 115 monitoring stations across Switzerland. Spanning same period as...
Due to the increasing duration and magnitude of both agricultural hydrological droughts, farmers face problem declining yields reduced irrigation possibilities. In our recent study (Heinz et al. 2025, under review), we found that soil organic carbon (SOC) could increase water retention thus mitigate yield losses during a drought year. However, it is unclear how accumulation SOC in soils affect processes on catchment scale.Local- regional-scale changes land use, such as afforestation, or...
Reliable discharge data is a key requirement of hydrological studies, yet previous research has primarily focused on detecting sensor errors and outliers. Undetected changes in stage relationships the resulting discrepancy between actual measured have received significantly less attention. The present study aims to contribute closing this gap by developing detection routine for unnoticed relationships. In first step, classical statistical methods are tested. subsequent machine learning...
Climate change is profoundly affecting ecosystems and societies. Impacts on hydrological regimes, water resources, urban heatwaves are particularly important, emphasizing the need for a detailed understanding of these changes at local scales to inform effective adaptation strategies. Achieving this requires reliable, high-resolution projections future climate conditions. However, current models operate coarse spatial resolutions, limiting their ability capture small-scale processes extreme...
Abstract. Hydrological modeling in alpine catchments poses unique challenges due to the complex interplay of meteorological, topographical, geological, and glaciological drivers with streamflow generation. A significant issue arises from limited availability data scarcity high-elevation gauging stations. Consequently, there is a pressing need assess whether models that are calibrated moderate-elevation can be effectively transferred higher-elevation catchments, notwithstanding differences...
In the era of large-sample hydrology (LSH) datasets, there is still limited availability water quality data. Here, we introduce CAMELS-CH-Chem, an extension CAMELS-CH (Catchment Attributes and Meteorology for Large-sample Studies in Switzerland), incorporating up to 40 parameters 115 catchments across Switzerland. This new dataset spans period 1981–2020 allows seamless integration with original hydro-meteorological landscape attribute The includes time series over 30 stream chemistry...