Snow-cover modelling – past, present, and future
Event details
| Date | 10.03.2015 |
| Hour | 16:15 › 17:15 |
| Speaker | Dr Charles Fierz, Research Group Snow Cover and Micrometeorology, SLF, Davos Dorf |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
Anderson’s point energy and mass balance model of snow can be considered one of the first multi-layer, physics-based snow-cover model. While some processes were considered from a physics point of view, snow microstructure was not considered. Based on this work, models emerged in the nineties that included snow properties like grain size or a full implementation of snow metamorphism. These models focused on applications like accurate prediction of snow surface temperature or avalanche warning. While these applications require a high level of sophistication, most processes are still parameterized. Moreover, beside the target applications, the benefit of detailed snow-cover models for hydrological, meteorological, and climatological applications was long a matter of debate and is still today. Nonetheless, these complex models are now indeed part of land surface schemes and their benefit can be shown. Next generation models will be based on physical parameters describing microstructure, such as density and specific surface area or include detailed process descriptions like water percolation. Different from the past, however, high-quality, objective field measurements should then allow for quantitatively verifying model performance.
Short biography:
Charles Fierz got a Diploma in physics from the ETHZ and completed his PhD in experimental condensed matter physics 1988 at the University of Geneva. He has been working at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF since 1992, when he started studying wet snow and percolation of water in the snowpack with regards to wet snow avalanche formation. His interest then shifted towards snow-cover modelling, still focusing on aspects of avalanche formation, but also on snow-atmosphere interactions. Today he is leading the research group “Snow cover and micrometeorology” at SLF and is involved in international associations and programs.
Anderson’s point energy and mass balance model of snow can be considered one of the first multi-layer, physics-based snow-cover model. While some processes were considered from a physics point of view, snow microstructure was not considered. Based on this work, models emerged in the nineties that included snow properties like grain size or a full implementation of snow metamorphism. These models focused on applications like accurate prediction of snow surface temperature or avalanche warning. While these applications require a high level of sophistication, most processes are still parameterized. Moreover, beside the target applications, the benefit of detailed snow-cover models for hydrological, meteorological, and climatological applications was long a matter of debate and is still today. Nonetheless, these complex models are now indeed part of land surface schemes and their benefit can be shown. Next generation models will be based on physical parameters describing microstructure, such as density and specific surface area or include detailed process descriptions like water percolation. Different from the past, however, high-quality, objective field measurements should then allow for quantitatively verifying model performance.
Short biography:
Charles Fierz got a Diploma in physics from the ETHZ and completed his PhD in experimental condensed matter physics 1988 at the University of Geneva. He has been working at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF since 1992, when he started studying wet snow and percolation of water in the snowpack with regards to wet snow avalanche formation. His interest then shifted towards snow-cover modelling, still focusing on aspects of avalanche formation, but also on snow-atmosphere interactions. Today he is leading the research group “Snow cover and micrometeorology” at SLF and is involved in international associations and programs.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- IIE - EESS
Contact
- Prof. Michael Lehning, CRYOS and SLF Davos