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Dr. Henning Löwe
Function
Teamleader
Contact
loewe(at)slfto make life hard for spam bots.ch
+41 81 417 01 54+41 81 417 01 54
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
Flüelastrasse 11
7260 Davos Dorf
Site
Davos Da B 1 17
Research Interests
My research is devoted to the physical understanding of microstructural controls on snow physical properties (heat transfer, mechanics, electromagnetics, crystal growth) in the context of remote sensing, polar climatology and natural hazards. I mainly rely on statistical physics, numerical simulations, and the analysis of experimental data (field and lab), in particular from micro-computed tomography experiments. My main goal is the unification of microstructural characterizations of snow to develop models that can be parametrized by micro-scale experiments to predict macro-scale behavior of snow for diverse applications in cryospheric sciences.
News and Quasi-News
- You like useful models? Have a look at the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer (SMRT) model here.
- You want to know how metamorphism looks like from a mathematical perspective? Check this.
- You prefer watching TV? Have a look at this (in german)
- You are looking for a nice present with lots of images? Get our book.
- Old but classic: The fate of powder snow as seen by time-lapse tomography... check this out.
Positions and Boards
- Group leader a.i. / Staff scientist, Group Snow Physics, SLF Davos
- Lecturer, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich
- Member of the WSL Research Commission
- Co-chair IACS Working group "MicroSnow"
Thesis Topics
There are always opportunities for MSc/BSc topics. Just send me an email.
Teaching
You want to know more about Snow Physics? Visit our lecture "Snowcover: Physics and modeling" at ETH, Zurich. The lecture is held every spring semester.
Publications, CV
Can be found here.
Academic Education
- Diploma Physics, University of Göttingen
- PhD Theoretical Physics, University of Göttingen
- Postdoc, Snowcover and Micrometeorology, SLF, Davos
FURTHER INFORMATION
Publications WSL
Scientific publication article peer reviewed
Schürholt, K.; Kowalski, J.; Löwe, H., 2022: Elements of future snowpack modeling - Part 1: a physical instability arising from the nonlinear coupling of transport and phase changes. Cryosphere, 16, 3: 903-923. doi: 10.5194/tc-16-903-2022
Sandells, M.; Löwe, H.; Picard, G.; Dumont, M.; Essery, R.; Floury, N.; Kontu, A.; Lemmetyinen, J.; Maslanka, W.; Morin, S.; Wiesmann, A.; Mätzler, C., 2022: X-ray tomography-based microstructure representation in the Snow Microwave Radiative Transfer model. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 60, 2: 4301115 (15 pp.). doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2021.3086412
Sandells, M.; Picard, G.; Löwe, H.; Maaß, N.; Winstrup, M.; Brucker, L.; Leduc-Leballeur, M.; Larue, F.; Aublanc, J.; Thibaut, P.; Murfitt, J., 2021: Community development of the snow microwave radiative transfer model for passive, active and altimetry observations of the cryosphere. In: 2021: IGARSS 2021 - 2021 IEEE international geoscience and remote sensing symposium. Proceedings. 2021 IEEE international geoscience and remote sensing symposium IGARSS, Brussels, Belgium. 852-855. doi: 10.1109/IGARSS47720.2021.9553580
Simson, A.; Löwe, H.; Kowalski, J., 2021: Elements of future snowpack modeling - part 2: a modular and extendable Eulerian-Lagrangian numerical scheme for coupled transport, phase changes and settling processes. Cryosphere, 15, 12: 5423-5445. doi: 10.5194/tc-15-5423-2021
Willibald, C.; Dual, J.; Schneebeli, M.; Löwe, H., 2021: Size controls on the crossover from normal to self-inhibited sintering of ice spheres. Acta Materialia, 213: 116926 (11 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.116926
Hellmann, S.; Grab, M.; Kerch, J.; Löwe, H.; Bauder, A.; Weikusat, I.; Maurer, H., 2021: Acoustic velocity measurements for detecting the crystal orientation fabrics of a temperate ice core. Cryosphere, 15, 7: 3507-3521. doi: 10.5194/tc-15-3507-2021
Blatny, L.; Löwe, H.; Wang, S.; Gaume, J., 2021: Computational micromechanics of porous brittle solids. Computers and geotechnics, 140: 104284 (13 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2021.104284
Lombardo, M.; Schneebeli, M.; Löwe, H., 2021: A casting method using contrast-enhanced diethylphthalate for micro-computed tomography of snow. Journal of Glaciology, 67, 265: 847-861. doi: 10.1017/jog.2021.35
Willibald, C.; Löwe, H.; Theile, T.; Dual, J.; Schneebeli, M., 2020: Angle of repose experiments with snow: role of grain shape and cohesion. Journal of Glaciology, 66, 258: 658-666. doi: 10.1017/jog.2020.36
Ritter, J.; Löwe, H.; Gaume, J., 2020: Microstructural controls of anticrack nucleation in highly porous brittle solids. Scientific Reports, 10, 1: 12383 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67926-2
Löwe, H.; Zaiser, M.; Mösinger, S.; Schleef, S., 2020: Snow mechanics near the ductile-brittle transition: compressive stick-slip and snow microquakes. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, 4: e2019GL085491 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2019GL085491
Calonne, N.; Richter, B.; Löwe, H.; Cetti, C.; Ter Schure, J.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Fierz, C.; Jaggi, M.; Schneebeli, M., 2020: The RHOSSA campaign: multi-resolution monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the structure and mechanical stability of an alpine snowpack. Cryosphere, 14, 6: 1829-1848. doi: 10.5194/tc-14-1829-2020
Montagnat, M.; Löwe, H.; Calonne, N.; Schneebeli, M.; Matzl, M.; Jaggi, M., 2020: On the birth of structural and crystallographic fabric signals in polar snow: a case study rrom the EastGRIP snowpack. Frontiers in Earth Science, 8: 365 (15 pp.). doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.00365
Leinss, S.; Löwe, H.; Proksch, M.; Kontu, A., 2020: Modeling the evolution of the structural anisotropy of snow. Cryosphere, 14, 1: 51-75. doi: 10.5194/tc-14-51-2020
Fourteau, K.; Martinerie, P.; Faïn, X.; Schaller, C.F.; Tuckwell, R.J.; Löwe, H.; Arnaud, L.; Magand, O.; Thomas, E.R.; Freitag, J.; Mulvaney, R.; Schneebeli, M.; Lipenkov, V.Ya., 2019: Multi-tracer study of gas trapping in an East Antarctic ice core. Cryosphere, 13, 12: 3383-3403. doi: 10.5194/tc-13-3383-2019
Willibald, C.; Scheuber, S.; Löwe, H.; Dual, J.; Schneebeli, M., 2019: Ice spheres as model snow: tumbling, sintering, and mechanical tests. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7: 229 (13 pp.). doi: 10.3389/feart.2019.00229
Reuter, B.; Proksch, M.; Löwe, H.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2019: Comparing measurements of snow mechanical properties relevant for slab avalanche release. Journal of Glaciology, 65, 249: 55-67. doi: 10.1017/jog.2018.93
Schlegel, R.; Diez, A.; Löwe, H.; Mayer, C.; Lambrecht, A.; Freitag, J.; Miller, H.; Hofstede, C.; Eisen, O., 2019: Comparison of elastic moduli from seismic diving-wave and ice-core microstructure analysis in Antarctic polar firn. Annals of Glaciology, 60, 79: 220-230. doi: 10.1017/aog.2019.10
Krol, Q.; Löwe, H., 2018: Upscaling ice crystal growth dynamics in snow: rigorous modeling and comparison to 4D X-ray tomography data. Acta Materialia, 151: 478-487. doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.03.010
Gouttevin, I.; Langer, M.; Löwe, H.; Boike, J.; Proksch, M.; Schneebeli, M., 2018: Observation and modelling of snow at a polygonal tundra permafrost site: spatial variability and thermal implications. Cryosphere, 12, 11: 3693-3717. doi: 10.5194/tc-12-3693-2018
Picard, G.; Sandells, M.; Löwe, H., 2018: SMRT: an active-passive microwave radiative transfer model for snow with multiple microstructure and scattering formulations (v1.0). Geoscientific Model Development, 11, 7: 2763-2788. doi: 10.5194/gmd-11-2763-2018
Gaume, J.; Löwe, H.; Tan, S.; Tsang, L., 2017: Scaling laws for the mechanics of loose and cohesive granular materials based on Baxter's sticky hard spheres. Physical Review E, 96, 3: 032914 (12 pp.). doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.96.032914
Gerling, B.; Lowe, H.; Van Herwijnen, A., 2017: Measuring the elastic modulus of snow. Geophysical Research Letters, 44, 21: 11088-11096. doi: 10.1002/2017GL075110
Krol, Q.; Löwe, H., 2016: Relating optical and microwave grain metrics of snow: the relevance of grain shape. Cryosphere, 10, 6: 2847-2863. doi: 10.5194/tc-10-2847-2016
Krol, Q.; Löwe, H., 2016: Analysis of local ice crystal growth in snow. Journal of Glaciology, 62, 232: 378-390. doi: 10.1017/jog.2016.32
Leinss, S.; Löwe, H.; Proksch, M.; Lemmetyinen, J.; Wiesmann, A.; Hajnsek, I., 2016: Anisotropy of seasonal snow measured by polarimetric phase differences in radar time series. Cryosphere, 10, 4: 1771-1797. doi: 10.5194/tc-10-1771-2016
Steinkogler, W.; Gaume, J.; Löwe, H.; Sovilla, B.; Lehning, M., 2015: Granulation of snow: from tumbler experiments to discrete element simulations. Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface, 120, 6: 1107-1126. doi: 10.1002/2014JF003294
Proksch, M.; Löwe, H.; Schneebeli, M., 2015: Density, specific surface area, and correlation length of snow measured by high-resolution penetrometry. Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface, 120, 2: 346-362. doi: 10.1002/2014JF003266
Löwe, H.; Picard, G., 2015: Microwave scattering coefficient of snow in MEMLS and DMRT-ML revisited: the relevance of sticky hard spheres and tomography-based estimates of stickiness. Cryosphere, 9, 6: 2101-2117. doi: 10.5194/tc-9-2101-2015
Proksch, M.; Mätzler, C.; Wiesmann, A.; Lemmetyinen, J.; Schwank, M.; Löwe, H.; Schneebeli, M., 2015: MEMLS3&a: Microwave Emission Model of Layered Snowpacks adapted to include backscattering. Geoscientific Model Development, 8, 8: 2611-2626. doi: 10.5194/gmd-8-2611-2015
Schleef, S.; Löwe, H.; Schneebeli, M., 2014: Hot-pressure sintering of low-density snow analyzed by X-ray microtomography and in situ microcompression. Acta Materialia, 71: 185-194. doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2014.03.004
Helbig, N.; Löwe, H., 2014: Parameterization of the spatially averaged sky view factor in complex topography. Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres, 119, 8: 4616-4625. doi: 10.1002/2013JD020892
Schleef, S.; Jaggi, M.; Löwe, H.; Schneebeli, M., 2014: Instruments and Methods: an improved machine to produce nature-identical snow in the laboratory. Journal of Glaciology, 60, 219: 94-102. doi: 10.3189/2014JoG13J118
Schleef, S.; Löwe, H.; Schneebeli, M., 2014: Influence of stress, temperature and crystal morphology on isothermal densification and specific surface area decrease of new snow. Cryosphere, 8, 5: 1825-1838. doi: 10.5194/tc-8-1825-2014
Schleef, S.; Löwe, H., 2013: X-ray microtomography analysis of isothermal densification of new snow under external mechanical stress. Journal of Glaciology, 59, 214: 233-243. doi: 10.3189/2013JoG12J076
Löwe, H.; Riche, F.; Schneebeli, M., 2013: A general treatment of snow microstructure exemplified by an improved relation for the thermal conductivity. Cryosphere, 7, 5: 1473-1480. doi: 10.5194/tc-7-1473-2013
Löwe, H.; Van Herwijnen, A., 2012: A Poisson shot noise model for micro-penetration of snow. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 70: 62-70. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2011.09.001
Löwe, H.; Helbig, N., 2012: Quasi-analytical treatment of spatially averaged radiation transfer in complex terrain. Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres, 117: D19101 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2012JD018181
Helbig, N.; Löwe, H., 2012: Shortwave radiation parameterization scheme for subgrid topography. Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface, 117: D03112 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2011JD016465
Groot Zwaaftink, C.D.; Löwe, H.; Mott, R.; Bavay, M.; Lehning, M., 2011: Drifiting snow sublimation: a high-resolution 3-D model with temperature and moisture feedbacks. Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres, 116: D16107 (14 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2011JD015754
Löwe, H.; Spiegel, J.K.; Schneebeli, M., 2011: Interfacial and structural relaxations of snow under isothermal conditions. Journal of Glaciology, 57, 203: 499-510. doi: 10.3189/002214311796905569
Theile, T.; Löwe, H.; Theile, T.C.; Schneebeli, M., 2011: Simulating creep of snow based on microstructure and the anisotropic deformation of ice. Acta Materialia, 59, 18: 7104-7113. doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2011.07.065
Helbig, N.; Löwe, H.; Mayer, B.; Lehning, M., 2010: Explicit validation of a surface shortwave radiation balance model over snow-covered complex terrain. Journal of Geophysical Research D: Atmospheres, 115: D18113 (12 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2010JD013970
Helbig, N.; Löwe, H.; Lehning, M., 2009: Radiosity approach for the shortwave surface radiation balance in complex terrain. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 66, 9: 2900-2912. doi: 10.1175/2009jas2940.1
Bavay, M.; Lehning, M.; Jonas, T.; Löwe, H., 2009: Simulations of future snow cover and discharge in Alpine headwater catchments. Hydrological Processes, 23, 1: 94-108. doi: 10.1002/hyp.7195
Manes, C.; Guala, M.; Löwe, H.; Bartlett, S.; Egli, L.; Lehning, M., 2008: Statistical properties of fresh snow roughness. Water Resources Research, 44, 11: 1-9. doi: 10.1029/2007WR006689
Lehning, M.; Löwe, H.; Ryser, M.; Raderschall, N., 2008: Inhomogeneous precipitation distribution and snow transport in steep terrain. Water Resources Research, 44, 7: 1-19. doi: 10.1029/2007WR006545
Mott, R.; Faure, F.; Lehning, M.; Löwe, H.; Hynek, B.; Michlmayer, G.; Prokop, A.; Schöner, W., 2008: Simulation of seasonal snow-cover distribution for glacierized sites on Sonnblick, Austria, with the Alpine3D model. Annals of Glaciology, 49: 155-160. doi: 10.3189/172756408787814924
Löwe, H.; Egli, L.; Bartlett, S.; Guala, M.; Manes, C., 2007: On the evolution of the snow surface during snowfall. Geophysical Research Letters, 34, 21: 1-5. doi: 10.1029/2007GL031637
Köhler, C.H.; Löwe, H.; Müller, P.; Zippelius, A., 2007: Variational bounds for the shear viscosity of gelling melts. Europhysics Letters, 78, 4: 46002 (5 pp.). doi: 10.1209/0295-5075/78/46002
Further scientific publications
Wiesmann, A.; Caduff, R.; Werner, C.; Frey, O.; Schneebeli, M.; Löwe, H.; Jaggi, M.; Schwank, M.; Naderpour, R.; Fehr, T., 2019: ESA SnowLab project: 4 years of wide band scatterometer measurements of seasonal snow. In: 2019: 2019 IEEE international geoscience & remote sensingsymposium. Proceedings. IGARSS 2019. IEEE international geoscience and remote sensing symposium, Yokohama. 5745-5748. doi: 10.1109/IGARSS.2019.8898961
Picard, G.; Sandells, M.; Löwe, H., 2018: A new active/passive microwave radiative transfer model for snow (SMRT) to foster inter-comparisons of model components. In: 2018: Observing, understandig and forecasting the dynamics of our planet. 2018 IEEE international geoscience and remote sensing symposium (IGARSS 2018), Valencia, Spain. 6276-6279. doi: 10.1109/IGARSS.2018.8517407
Calonne, N.; Cetti, C.; Fierz, C.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Jaggi, M.; Löwe, H.; Matzl, M.; Schmid, L.; Schneebeli, M., 2016: A unique time series of daily and weekly snowpack measurements at Weissfluh-Joch, Davos, Switzerland. In: 2016: International snow science workshop proceedings 2016. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2016, Breckenridge, CO, USA, October 2-7, 2016. 684-689.
Steinkogler, W.; Gaume, J.; Löwe, H.; Sovilla, B.; Lehning, M., 2014: Granulation of snow: experiments and discrete element modeling. In: 2014: International snow science workshop proceedings 2014. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2014, Banff, AB, Canada, September 29 - October 3, 2014. 733-737.
Proksch, M.; Reuter, B.; Löwe, H.; Schweizer, J.; Schneebeli, M., 2014: Quantitative snow stratigraphy and stability derived from high-resolution penetrometry. In: 2014: International snow science workshop proceedings 2014. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2014, Banff, AB, Canada, September 29 - October 3, 2014. 196-201.
Löwe, H., 2013: Schnee als Material. In: WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF (eds), 2013: Schnee. Darmstadt, Primus. 14-37.
WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF (Ed.); Feistl, T.; Fierz, C.; Huovinen, C.; Jonas, T.; Löwe, H.; Margreth, S.; Marty, C.; Phillips, M.; Rhyner, H.; Rixen, C.; Schweizer, J.; Stähli, M.; Stucki, T., 2013: Schnee. 160 p.
Schleef, S.; Löwe, H.; Schneebeli, M., 2013: Time-lapse X-ray microtomography of new snow densification. In: 2013: Applications of recent advances in CT imaging. 1st international conference on tomography of materials and structures (ICTMS 2013), Ghent, Belgium. 301-303.
Reuter, B.; Proksch, M.; Loewe, H.; Van Herwijnen, A.; Schweizer, J., 2013: On how to measure snow mechanical properties relevant to slab avalanche release. In: Naaim-Bouvet, F.; Durand, Y.; Lambert, R. (eds), 2013: International snow science workshop proceedings 2013. International snow science workshop, ISSW 2013, Grenoble - Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France, October 7-11, 2013. 7-11.
Lehning, M.; Bavay, M.; Löwe, H.; Parlange, M.; Aberer, K., 2007: Das Swiss Experiment und die Zukunft der Vorhersage von alpinen Naturgefahren. In: Hegg, C.; Rhyner, J. (eds), 2007: Warnung bei aussergewöhnlichen Naturereignissen. Forum für Wissen 2007, ETH Zürich, October 30, 2007. 39-45.