Nadine Salzmann

• PhD
• Head of Department at WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF

Risiken für die Gesellschaft, die aufgrund einer Kombination von meteorologischen Extremereignissen ausgelöst und durch Prozesskaskaden verstärkt werden, sind schwierig zu analysieren und noch kaum erforscht, insbesondere auch im Kontext von Klimaanpassung. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir die Ergebnisse einer Fallstudie vor, deren Ziel es war, Wissen...

Adaptation decision-making in mountain regions necessitates dealing with uncertainties which are driven by the complex topography and the potential interconnections of stochastic events. Such events can lead to amplifying consequences for the exposed communities located at different elevations. In this study, we present a stylized application of st...

Spatio-temporal reconstruction of winter glacier mass balance is important for assessing long-term impacts of climate change. However, high-altitude regions significantly lack reliable observations, which is limiting the calibration of glaciological and hydrological models. Reanalysis products provide estimates of snow precipitation also for remote...

Weather extremes can affect many different assets, sectors and systems of the human environment, including human security, health and well-being. Weather extremes that compound, such as heat and drought, and their interconnected risks are complex, difficult to understand and thus a challenge for risk analysis and management, because (in intertwined...

The interaction of multiple hazards across various spatial and temporal scales typically causes compound climate and extreme weather events. Compound concurrent hot day and night (CCHDNs) extremes that combine daytime and nighttime heat are of greater concern for health than individual hot days (HDs) or hot nights (HNs), even though their frequency...

Although reanalysis products for remote high-mountain regions provide estimates of snow precipitation, this data is inherently uncertain and assessing a potential bias is difficult due to the scarcity of observations, thus also limiting their reliability to evaluate long-term effects of climate change. Here, we compare the winter mass balance of 95...

Monitoring the snow water equivalent (SWE) in the harsh environments of high mountain regions is a challenge. Here, we explore the use of muon counts to infer SWE. We deployed a muonic cosmic ray snow gauge (μ-CRSG) on a Swiss glacier during the snow-rich winter season 2020/21 (almost 2000 mm w.e.). The μ-CRSG measurements agree well with measureme...

Monitoring the snow water equivalent (SWE) in the harsh environments of high mountain regions is a challenge. Here, we explore the use of muon counts to infer SWE. We deployed a muonic cosmic ray snow gauge (µ-CRSG) on a Swiss glacier during the snow rich winter season 2020/21 (almost 2000 mm w.e.). The µ-CRSG measurements agree well with measureme...

Snow and precipitation estimates in high-mountain regions typically suffer from low temporal and spatial resolution and large uncertainties. Here, we present a two-step statistically based model to derive spatio-temporal highly resolved estimates of snow water equivalent (SWE) across the Swiss Alps. A multiple linear regression model (Step-1 MLR) w...

Accurate and reliable solid precipitation estimates for high mountain regions are crucial for many research applications. Yet, measuring snowfall at high elevation remains a major challenge. In consequence, observational coverage is typically sparse, and the validation of spatially distributed precipitation products is complicated. This study prese...

The snowwater equivalent (SWE) is a key component for understanding changes in the cryosphere in high mountain regions. Yet, a reliable quantification at a high spatio-temporal resolution remains challenging in such environments. In this study, we investigate the potential of an operational weather radar - rain gauge composite (CombiPrecip) to infe...

Climate change has enormous impacts on the cryosphere In the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) which have been increasingly documented over the past years. The effects of cryosphere change on people, ecosystems and economic sectors is less clear but bears important risks. Adaptation to changing conditions and risks is a priority for the region. Here we...

Snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements of seasonal snowpack are crucial in many research fields. Yet accurate measurements at a high temporal resolution are difficult to obtain in high mountain regions. With a cosmic ray sensor (CRS), SWE can be inferred from neutron counts. We present the analyses of temporally continuous SWE measurements by a C...

We present an updated, spatially resolved estimate of 2003–2008 glacier surface elevation changes for the entire region of High Mountain Asia (HMA) from ICESat laser altimetry data. The results reveal a diverse pattern that is caused by spatially greatly varying glacier sensitivity, in particular to precipitation availability and changes. We introd...

Snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements are crucial in many research fields. Yet accurate measurements at a high temporal resolution are difficult to obtain in high mountain regions. With a cosmic ray sensor (CRS), SWE can be directly derived from neutron counts. In this study, we present the analyses of temporally continuous SWE measurements by a...

This article reflects on the merits and shortfalls of bilateral research programmes aimed at strengthening climate change research capabilities, using the experience from two programmes, the PACC and IHCAP in Peru and India, respectively. The study highlights key aspects of these types of bilateral programmes, namely: capacity; performance, salary...

We present an updated, spatially resolved estimate of 2003–2008 glacier volume changes for entire High Mountain Asia (HMA) from ICESat laser altimetry data. The results reveal a diverse pattern that is driven by spatially greatly varying glacier sensitivity, in particular to precipitation availability and changes. We introduce a spatially resolved...

The climate and hydrology of the Western Himalayas is complex and a function of snow and glacier melt, land use, topography, and Indian summer and winter monsoon dynamics. Improving our knowledge about these processes is important from societal and agricultural points of view. In this study, an observational analysis is carried out to assess the ch...

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have been retreating for the past several decades, leading to a temporary increase in dry season water supply downstream. Projected future glacier shrinkage, however, will lead to a long-term reduction in dry season river discharge from glacierized catchments. This glacier retreat is closely related to the observed in...

The three components of the cryosphere – glaciers, snow and permafrost – are all affected by climate change. Mountain communities face growing threats to infrastructure, while downstream communities face disruptions in their water supply and risks of food and energy insecurity as a consequence. In Central Asia, the cryosphere-related changes in wat...

Glacier mass loss is among the clearest indicators of atmospheric warming. The observation of these changes is one of the major objectives of the international climate monitoring strategy developed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Long-term glacier mass balance measurements are furthermore the basis for calibrating and validating mode...

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have been retreating for the past several decades, leading to a temporary increase in dry season water supply downstream. Projected future glacier shrinkage, however, will lead to a long-term reduction in dry season river discharge from glacierized catchments. This glacier retreat is closely related to the observed in...

Abstract Purpose – Although the importance of climate change is generally acknowledged, its impacts are often not taken into account explicitly when planning development projects. This being due to limited resources, among others, this paper aims to propose a simple and low-cost approach to assess the viability of human activities under climate cha...

Glacier mass loss is among the clearest indicators of atmospheric warming. The observation of these changes is one of the major objectives of the international climate monitoring strategy developed by the Global Climate Observing System. Long-term glacier mass balance measurements are furthermore the basis to calibrate and validate models simulatin...

Along with air temperatures, the freezing level height (FLH) has risen over the last decades. The mass balance of tropical glaciers in Peru is highly sensitive to a rise in the FLH, mainly due to a decrease in accumulation and increase of energy for ablation caused by reduced albedo. Knowledge of future changes in the FLH is thus crucial to estimat...

Permafrost is a thermal phenomenon of the lithosphere and applies to ground that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years. Permafrost is coupled to atmospheric conditions and as such is sensitive to climatic changes. Thawing of permafrost can lead to destabilization of steep slopes or infrastructure, and a major concern is the rel...

Glacier observation data from major mountain regions of the world are key to improving our understanding of glacier changes: they deliver fundamental baseline information for climatological, hydrological, and hazard assessments. In many mountain ecosystems, as well as in the adjacent lowlands, glaciers play a crucial role in freshwater provision an...

Permafrost is a widespread phenomenon in mountainous regions of the world such as the European Alps. Many important topics such as the future evolution of permafrost related to climate change and the detection of permafrost related to potential natural hazards sites are of major concern to our society. Numerical permafrost models are the only tools...

Water from glaciers is crucial for the Peruvian hydropower production. Hence, we investigate the glacier-atmosphere and climate interactions in the Cordillera Vilcanota, considering scenarios of significant precipitation reductions until 2100. The glacier mass balance model ITGG-2.0 is used for analysing the energy balance components regarding the...

This chapter’s main objective is to provide the context of the book and to introduce the subsequent chapters. The physical basis of the global climate change challenge is briefly outlined and the consequences for the societies primarily at the local scale are discussed. A short overview of how the international policy level responds to the challeng...

Within the context of the Climate Change Adaptation Program (PACC), a number of scientific investigations on water resources, natural disasters and perceptions by local people highlight adaptation needs in the regions of Cusco and Apurímac in Peru, considering past, present-day and future climate conditions. This chapter compiles their findings and...

In Peru several hydropower companies produce energy in glaciated catchments located in the Cordilleras Blanca (Santa river), Vilcanota (Vilcanota-Urubamba river) and Central (Cañete river). In this context, our study investigates the glacier atmosphere and climate change interactions considering furthermore a scenario of significant precipitation r...

Collaborative Indo-Swiss research on permafrost has thrown new light on this rarely studied component of the Indian Himalayan cryosphere. Under a pilot study, first maps of estimated permafrost distribution in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India have been produced, using a combination of simple topographic and climatic principles, more sophisti...

Mountain ecosystems around the world are recognized to be among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The need to develop sound adaptation strategies in these areas is growing. Knowledge from the natural sciences has an important role to play in the development of adaptation strategies. However, the extent of and gaps in such knowle...

Knowing the height of the snowfall limit during precipitation events is crucial for better understanding a number of hydro-climatic processes, for instance glacier-climate interactions or runoff from high mountain catchments. However, knowledge on heights of the phase change during precipitation events is limited by the small number of meteorologic...

A re-analysis is presented here of a 10 year mass balance series at Findelengletscher, a temperate mountain glacier in Switzerland. Calculating glacier-wide mass balance from the set of glaciological point balance observations using conventional approaches, such as the profile or contour method, resulted in significant deviations from the reference...

Climate change and the related adverse impacts are among the greatest challenges facing humankind during the coming decades. Even with a significant reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, it will be inevitable for societies to adapt to new climatic conditions and associated impacts and risks. This book offers insights to first experie...

The Cordillera Vilcanota is the second largest glacierized mountain range in Peru. The role of glaciers as temporal water storages is particularly relevant for tropical glaciers, due to the existence of two distinct seasons, one wet and one dry season. Despite of this fundamental importance, few studies exist on mass balance for glaciers of the Cor...

Abramov glacier, located in the Pamir Alay, Kyrgyzstan, is a reference glacier within the Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers. Long-term glaciological measurements exist from 1968 to 1998 and a mass-balance monitoring programme was re-established in 2011. In this study we re-analyse existing mass-balance data and use a spatially distributed mas...

Permafrost is a widespread phenomenon in the European Alps. Many important topics such as the future evolution of permafrost related to climate change and the detection of permafrost related to potential natural hazards sites are of major concern to our society. Numerical permafrost models are the only tools which facilitate the projection of the f...

Despite the important role of supraglacial debris in ablation, knowledge of debris thickness on Himalayan glaciers is sparse. A recently developed method based on reanalysis data and thermal band satellite imagery has proved to be potentially suitable for debris thickness estimation without the need for detailed field data. In this study, we furthe...

Projected future trends in water availability are associated with large uncertainties in many regions of the globe. In mountain areas with complex topography, climate models have often limited capabilities to adequately simulate the precipitation variability on small spatial scales. Also, their validation is hampered by typically very low station d...

This edited volume, showcasing cutting-edge research, addresses two primary questions - what are the main drivers of change in high-mountains and what are the risks implied by these changes? From a physical perspective, it examines the complex interplay between climate and the high-mountain cryosphere, with further chapters covering tectonics, volc...

Observed and projected climatic changes demand for robust assessments of climate impacts on various environmental and anthropogenic systems. Empirical-statistical downscaling (ESD) methods coupled to output from climate model projections are promising tools to assess impacts at regional to local scale. ESD methods correct for common model deficienc...

Damage caused by weather- and climate-related disasters have increased over the past decades, and growing exposure and wealth have been identified as main drivers of this increase. Disaster databases are a primary tool for the analysis of disaster characteristics and trends at global or national scales, and they support disaster risk reduction and...

Ice volume estimates are crucial for assessing water reserves stored in glaciers. Due to its large glacier coverage, such estimates are of particular interest for the Himalayan–Karakoram (HK) region. In this study, different existing methodologies are used to estimate the ice reserves: three area–volume relations, one slope-dependent volume estimat...

Modelling the evolution and the sensitivity of permafrost in the European Alps in the context of climate change is one of the most relevant and challenging tasks of European mountain permafrost research. In this contribution, the evolution of permafrost at 6 reference sites in the Swiss Alps has been simulated using the 1-dimensional soil-snow-atmo...

Loss and damage caused by weather and climate related disasters have increased over the past decades, and growing exposure and wealth have been identified as main drivers of this increase. Disaster databases are a primary tool for the analysis of disaster characteristics and trends at global or national scales, and support disaster risk reduction a...

The CH2014-Impacts initiative is a concerted national effort to describe impacts of climate change in Switzerland quantitatively, drawing on the scientific resources available in Switzerland today. The initiative links the recently developed Swiss Climate Change Scenarios CH2011 with an evolving base of quantitative impact models. The use of a comm...

Glacier response to a changing climate and its impact on runoff is understood in general terms, but model-based projections are affected by considerable uncertainties. They originate from the driving climate model, input data quality, and simplifications in the glacio-hydrological model and hamper the reliability of the simulations. Here, an integr...

Ice volume estimates are crucial for assessing water reserves stored in glaciers. A variety of different methodologies exist but there is a lack of systematic comparative analysis thereof. Due to its large glacier coverage, such estimates are of particular interest for the Himalayan-Karakoram (HK) region. Here, three volume–area V–A) relations, a s...

Climate models project considerable ranges and uncertainties in future climatic changes. To assess the potential impacts of climatic changes on mountain permafrost within these ranges of uncertainty, this study presents a sensitivity analysis using a permafrost process model combined with climate input based on delta-change approaches. Delta values...

This study presents a method that allows continuous monitoring of mass balance for remote or inaccessible glaciers, based on repeated oblique photography. Hourly to daily pictures from two automatic cameras overlooking two large valley glaciers in the Swiss Alps are available for eight ablation seasons (2004–11) in total. We determine the fraction...

[1] Climate change as projected by contemporary general circulation models (GCMs) and regional climate models (RCMs) will have a great impact on high latitude and high mountain permafrost. A process-based one-dimensional permafrost model is used to evaluate the sensitivity of two characteristic alpine permafrost sites to changes in climate for a 11...

The tropical Andes have been recognized as one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Recent research shows that climatic changes in the region are not uniform. However, in many sites, critical information on observed trends are missing and unclear, representing barriers to design and implement appropriate climate change adaptation measu...

The Abramov Glacier, located in the Pamir Alay in Kyrgyzstan, was subject to intense studies in the frame of various scientific programs under the former USSR. With the breakdown of the Soviet Union, the monitoring was abruptly abandoned in the late nineties. Well documented and continuous seasonal mass balance observations are available for 1968-1...

Knowledge about volumes and the ice thickness distribution of Himalayan and Karakoram (HK) glaciers are required for assessing the future evolution, and estimating the sea-level rise potential of these ice bodies, as well as predicting impacts on the hydrological cycle. As field measurements of glacier thicknesses are sparse and restricted to indiv...

The Cordillera Vilcanota in the Southern Peruvian Andes is the second largest ice-covered Cordillera in Peru (after the Cordillera Blanca) and serves for the Cusco Region as a temporary water storage for fresh-water and hydropower generation and irrigation. Despite the Cordillera Vilcanota's size and socio-economic relevance, there has so far no co...

El presente documento es resultado del proyecto AndesPlus, que fue ejecutado en el marco del Proyecto de Adaptación al Impacto del Retroceso acelerado de Glaciares en los Andes Tropicales (PRAA) que se implementa en los países de la región andina contando con el Banco Mundial como agencia de implementación y la Secretaría General de la Comunidad An...

The role of glaciers as temporal water reservoirs is particularly pronounced in the (outer) tropics because of the very distinct wet/dry seasons. Rapid glacier retreat caused by climatic changes is thus a major concern, and decision makers demand urgently for regional/local glacier evolution trends, ice mass estimates and runoff assessments. Howeve...

The number of large slope failures in some high mountain regions such as the European Alps has increased over the past two to three decades. There are a number of indications that ongoing climatic changes cause an increase in slope failures, thus possibly further exacerbating future failure events. Although the effects of a gradual temperature rise...

The number of large slope failures in some high mountain regions such as the European Alps has increased over the past two to three decades. There are a number of indications that ongoing climatic changes cause an increase in slope failures, thus possibly further exacerbating future failure events. Although the effects of a gradual temperature rise...

While there is general consensus that observed global mean air temperature has increased during the past few decades and will very likely continue to rise in the coming decades, the assessment of the effective impacts of increased global mean air temperature on a specific regional-scale system remains highly challenging. This study takes up the wid...

The potential of new measurement and modelling techniques in alpine cryosphere and geomorphology research. The high-mountain cryosphere, in particular snow, permafrost and glaciers, plays a key role regarding climate change impacts on mountain ecosystems because of (i) its high climate sensitivity due to the proximity to the melting point, (ii) its...

Recent scientific assessment studies of climate change impacts, including those from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, provide evidence of the negative effects of climate variability and change on natural and human systems. For instance, recent climate trends have caused loss in wheat and maize production, negatively affected coral ree...

This study assesses the performance of the regional climate model (RCM) simulations from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) for the Upper Colorado River basin (UCRB), U.S. Rocky Mountains. The UCRB is a major contributor to the Colorado River's runoff. Its significant snow-dominated hydrological regime makes it...

Multi-type hydrometeorological hazards such as landslides, debris flows and floods are recurring all over the Andes region and cause death to local people and widespread damage to population centers and infrastructure. Such disastrous events are also a threat to development because they often destroy livelihood conditions of the most poor and vulne...

The Cusco and Apurímac region (Southern Peru) in the outer tropical Andes is characterized by a distinct wet and dry season. The climatology of the Andes region in southern Peru is complex and mainly influenced by tropical and extra tropical upper level-large scale circulation as well as by local convection. For the past decades, observations from...

Although climate projections are widely used to investigate future climate change impacts, regional climate model (RCM) simulations often show significant biases under present conditions. Such biases in precipitation and temperature are of particular concern for hydrological impact studies, because they can largely affect simulations of present and...

End-of-winter snow distribution is a key variable in terms of glacier mass balance. However, such measurements are typically rare and not adequately represented in today's mass balance models. A better understanding of pro-cesses governing preferential snow deposition and redistribution on glacierized surfaces is a prerequisite for a more reliable...

End-of-winter snow distribution is the key factor for the winter mass balance of alpine glaciers and is thus fundamental for understanding and modelling glacier changes. Measuring the winter mass balance using the direct glaciological method provides point measurements only. A better understanding of processes controlling deposition and redistribut...

The role of glaciers as temporal water reservoirs is particularly pronounced in the (outer) tropics because of the very distinct wet-dry seasons. Rapid glacier retreat caused by climatic changes is thus a major concern and decision makers demand urgently for regional/local glacier evolution trends, ice mass estimates and runoff assessments. However...

In the frame of a Swiss-Peruvian climate change adaptation initiative (PACC), operational and historical data series of more than 100 stations of the Peruvian Meteorological and Hydrological Service (SENAMHI) are now accessible in a dedicated data portal. The data portal allows for example the comparison of data series or the interpolation of spati...