Dr. Marcia Phillips

Function

Groupleader

Alpine environment and natural hazards

Permafrost

Contact

phillips(at)slfto make life hard for spam bots.ch

+41 81 417 02 18+41 81 417 02 18

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
Flüelastrasse 11
7260 Davos Dorf

Site

Davos Da D 1 07

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

ExtremeThaw

In this ambitious project, we study ecological effects of permafrost thaw in the Swiss Alps.

Water in permafrost rock walls

This project investigates the thermal and mechanical effects of water in rock fractures in mountain permafrost regions.

Recently, rock-ice deposits have come into focus for their potential to provide sources of secondary hazards and as an alternative water resource in a changing climate. The aim of this project is to model the evolution of the thermal regime of rock-ice deposits under future climate scenarios.

Rock slope failures 2015

There was intense rock slope failure activity during the summer 2015 heat wave, particularly above 2500 m asl in mountain permafrost regions. The dimensions of these events varied from a few hundred to several tens of thousands of cubic metres.

Rock slope failure Piz Kesch

A recently published study shows that the occurrence of a major rock slope failure, such as the one that took place on Piz Kesch in February 2014, depends not only on the conditions prevailing at the time, but also on the long term interaction of geology and climate over millennia.

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Publications WSL

Scientific publication article peer reviewed

Phillips, M.; Buchli, C.; Weber, S.; Boaga, J.; Pavoni, M.; Bast, A., 2023: Brief communication: Combining borehole temperature, borehole piezometer and cross-borehole electrical resistivity tomography measurements to investigate seasonal changes in ice-rich mountain permafrost. Cryosphere, 17, 2: 753-760. doi: 10.5194/tc-17-753-2023

Cicoira, A.; Weber, S.; Biri, A.; Buchli, B.; Delaloye, R.; Da Forno, R.; Gärtner-Roer, I.; Gruber, S.; Gsell, T.; Hasler, A.; Lim, R.; Limpach, P.; Mayoraz, R.; Meyer, M.; Noetzli, J.; Phillips, M.; Pointner, E.; Raetzo, H.; Scapozza, C.; ... Beutel, J., 2022: In situ observations of the Swiss periglacial environment using GNSS instruments. Earth System Science Data, 14, 11: 5061-5091. doi: 10.5194/essd-14-5061-2022

Luo, D.; Guo, D.; Jin, H.; Yang, S.; Phillips, M.K.; Frey, B., 2022: Editorial: Ecological impacts of degrading permafrost. Frontiers in Earth Science, 10: 967530 (3 pp.). doi: 10.3389/feart.2022.967530

Pruessner, L.; Huss, M.; Phillips, M.; Farinotti, D., 2021: A framework for modeling rock glaciers and permafrost at the basin-scale in high Alpine catchments. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 13, 4: e2020MS002361 (19 pp.). doi: 10.1029/2020MS002361

Noetzli, J.; Arenson, L.U.; Bast, A.; Beutel, J.; Delaloye, R.; Farinotti, D.; Gruber, S.; Gubler, H.; Haeberli, W.; Hasler, A.; Hauck, C.; Hiller, M.; Hoelzle, M.; Lambiel, C.; Pellet, C.; Springman, S.M.; Vonder Muehll, D.; Phillips, M., 2021: Best practice for measuring permafrost temperature in boreholes based on the experience in the Swiss Alps. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9: 607875 (20 pp.). doi: 10.3389/feart.2021.607875

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Further scientific publications

Kenner, R.; Lüthi, R.; Singeisen, C.; Phillips, M.; Burchard, U.; Zenklusen Mutter, E., 2022: Felsstürze im warmen Permafrost: Quantifizierung des Risikos aus potenziellen Anrissgebieten im Kanton Wallis. Swiss-Bulletin für angewandte Geologie, 27, 1: 31-44.

Phillips, M.; Haberkorn, A.; Kenner, R.; Nötzli, J., 2020: Current changes in mountain permafrost based on observations in the Swiss Alps. Swiss-Bulletin für angewandte Geologie, 25, 1-2: 53-63.

Noetzli, J.; Phillips, M., 2019: Mountain permafrost hydrology. Eine Studie im Rahmen des NCCS Themenschwerpunktes "Hydrologische Grundlagen zum Klimawandel" des National Centre for Climate Services. 18 p. doi: 10.16904/slf.1

Phillips, M.; Kos, A.; Amann, F.; Bonanomi, Y.; Huwiler, A.; Negrini, M.; Lüthi, R.; Kenner, R.; Wolter, A.; Bühler, Y., 2016: Deep-seated rock slope failures in mountain permafrost: Pizzo Cengalo and Piz Kesch (Canton Grisons, Switzerland). In: Koboltschnig, G. (eds), 2016: 13th congress INTERPRAEVENT 2016. 30 May to 2 June 2016. Lucerne, Switzerland. Extended abstracts "Living with natural risks". 13th congress INTERPRAEVENT 2016, Lucerne, Switzerland. 148-149.

Mair, V.; Mosna, D.; Kenner, R.; Chinellato, G.; Phillips, M.; Strada, C.; Thiebes, B., 2016: Integration of remote and terrestrial monitoring data for analysing alpine geomorphic processes – examples from Switzerland and Italy. In: Koboltschnig, G. (eds), 2016: 13th congress INTERPRAEVENT 2016. 30 May to 2 June 2016. Lucerne, Switzerland. Conference proceedings "Living with natural risks". 13th congress INTERPRAEVENT 2016, Lucerne, Switzerland, May 30-June 2, 2016. 336-344.

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Magazine article and brochures

Zenklusen Mutter, E.; Singeisen, C.; Kenner, R.; Phillips, M.; Burchard, U.; Steffen, D.; Stoebener, P.; Mayoraz, R., 2020: Zukünftige Gefahren und Risiken aus gefrorenen Felswänden im Wallis. FAN Agenda, Fachleute Naturgefahren Schweiz, 18-24.

Bast, A.; Phillips, M.; Bründl, M.; Stähli, M.; Bartelt, P.; Ortner, G.; Schweizer, J., 2020: Die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf alpine Massenbewegungen: das WSL Forschungsprogramm CCAMM. FAN Agenda, Fachleute Naturgefahren Schweiz, 15-17.

Arenson, L.U.; Phillips, M., 2018: Leben und Bauen in Permafrostregionen. Prozessverständnis und kreative lngenieurslösungen bei extremen Bedingungen. Geographische Rundschau, 16-21.

Phillips, M.; Lüthi, R.; Kenner, R.; Barblan, R., 2015: Felssturz am Piz Kesch, Winter 2014. Bündnerwald, 68, 1: 46-49.

Landtwing, M.; Phillips, M., 2015: Permafrost in den Alpen. Mit Naturgefahren leben: das Beispiel Pontresina. Praxis Geographie, 16-25.

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