World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
74
Citations
19058
World Ranking
761
National Ranking
20

Overview

Michael Lehning is affiliated with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. Their body of research primarily focuses on Earth and Planetary Sciences, with significant contributions in Environmental Science. Subfields of specialization include Atmospheric Science, Global and Planetary Change, Earth-Surface Processes, Environmental Engineering, and Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine.

Their research extensively covers the topics of cryospheric studies and observations, climate change and permafrost, meteorological phenomena and simulations, Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics, climate variability and models, aeolian processes and effects, and winter sports injuries and performance.

Recent notable publications by Michael Lehning include:

  • "Stream temperature and discharge evolution in Switzerland over the last 50 years: annual and seasonal behaviour" (2020) published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
  • "The Impact of Diffusive Water Vapor Transport on Snow Profiles in Deep and Shallow Snow Covers and on Sea Ice" (2020) published in Frontiers in Earth Science
  • "Climate change scenarios at hourly time-step over Switzerland from an enhanced temporal downscaling approach" (2021) published in International Journal of Climatology
  • "Wind-Topo: Downscaling near-surface wind fields to high-resolution topography in highly complex terrain with deep learning" (2022) published in Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
  • "Future water temperature of rivers in Switzerland under climate change investigated with physics-based models" (2022) published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences

Michael Lehning has frequently published in venues such as The Cryosphere, Frontiers in Earth Science, Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Boundary-Layer Meteorology, and Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres.

They have collaborated extensively with researchers including Hendrik Huwald, Jérôme Dujardin, Adrien Michel, Varun Sharma, and Rebecca Mott.

Best Publications

  • A physical SNOWPACK model for the Swiss avalanche warning: Part I: numerical model

    Perry Bartelt;Michael Lehning

  • Permafrost and climate in Europe: Monitoring and modelling thermal, geomorphological and geotechnical responses

    Charles Harris;Lukas U. Arenson;Hanne H. Christiansen;Bernd Etzelmüller

  • A physical SNOWPACK model for the Swiss avalanche warning: Part II. Snow microstructure

    Michael Lehning;Perry Bartelt;Bob Brown;Charles Fierz

  • The European mountain cryosphere: a review of its current state, trends, and future challenges

    Martin Beniston;Daniel Farinotti;Daniel Farinotti;Markus Stoffel;Liss M. Andreassen

  • A physical SNOWPACK model for the Swiss avalanche warning Part III: meteorological forcing, thin layer formation and evaluation

    Michael Lehning;Perry Bartelt;Bob Brown;Charles Fierz

  • ALPINE3D: a detailed model of mountain surface processes and its application to snow hydrology

    Michael Lehning;Ingo Völksch;David Gustafsson;Tuan Anh Nguyen

  • snowpack model calculations for avalanche warning based upon a new network of weather and snow stations

    Michael Lehning;Perry Bartelt;Bob Brown;Tom Russi

  • Inhomogeneous precipitation distribution and snow transport in steep terrain

    M. Lehning;H. Löwe;M. Ryser;N. Raderschall

  • Snow physics as relevant to snow photochemistry

    F. Domine;M. Albert;T. Huthwelker;Hans-Werner Jacobi;Hans-Werner Jacobi

  • Spatial and temporal variability of snow depth and ablation rates in a small mountain catchment

    T. Grünewald;M. Schirmer;R. Mott;Michael Lehning

  • Simulations of future snow cover and discharge in Alpine headwater catchments

    Mathias Bavay;Michael Lehning;Tobias Jonas;Henning Löwe

  • Wind influence on snow depth distribution and accumulation over glaciers

    R. Dadic;R. Dadic;R. Mott;M. Lehning;P. Burlando

  • Persistence in intra-annual snow depth distribution: 1. Measurements and topographic control

    M. Schirmer;V. Wirz;A. Clifton;M. Lehning

  • Solving Richards Equation for snow improves snowpack meltwater runoff estimations in detailed multi-layer snowpack model

    N. Wever;C. Fierz;C. Mitterer;H. Hirashima

  • Response of snow cover and runoff to climate change in high Alpine catchments of Eastern Switzerland

    M. Bavay;T. Grünewald;M. Lehning

  • Understanding snow-transport processes shaping the mountain snow-cover

    R. Mott;M. Schirmer;M. Bavay;T. Grünewald

  • A comparison of measurement methods: terrestrial laser scanning, tachymetry and snow probing for the determination of the spatial snow-depth distribution on slopes

    A. Prokop;M. Schirmer;M. Rub;M. Lehning

  • Elevation dependency of mountain snow depth

    T. Grünewald;Y. Bühler;M. Lehning

  • Equilibrium Saltation: Mass Fluxes, Aerodynamic Entrainment, and Dependence on Grain Properties

    Judith J. J. Doorschot;Michael Lehning

  • Meteorological Modeling of Very High-Resolution Wind Fields and Snow Deposition for Mountains

    Rebecca Mott;Michael Lehning

  • Firn meltwater retention on the Greenland Ice Sheet: a model comparison

    Christian R. Steger;Carleen H. Reijmer;Michiel R. van den Broeke;Nander Wever

  • Enabling effective problem-oriented research for sustainable development

    Christoph Kueffer;Evelyn Underwood;Gertrude Hirsch Hadorn;Rolf Holderegger

  • Understanding snow transport processes shaping the mountain snow-cover

    Rebecca Mott;Michael Schirmer;Thomas Grünewald;Michael Lehning

Frequent Co-Authors

Charles Fierz
Charles Fierz Montana State University
Marc B. Parlange
Marc B. Parlange University of Rhode Island
Alexis Berne
Alexis Berne École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Christoph Marty
Christoph Marty WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF
Tobias Jonas
Tobias Jonas Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Perry Bartelt
Perry Bartelt Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
Andrea Rinaldo
Andrea Rinaldo École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Michele Guala
Michele Guala University of Minnesota
Karl Aberer
Karl Aberer École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Jürg Schweizer
Jürg Schweizer Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring Earth Science can open doors to diverse career opportunities, often supported by complementary fields. For example, pursuing a ala-accredited schools program can lead to careers in managing scientific data collections or working in environmental libraries, which is a niche of the broader masters in library science field. These paths combine information management with scientific knowledge.

On the creative side, the integration of digital technologies with Earth Science can be enhanced by degrees like online photography programs. Obtaining an online degree in photography helps develop skills for documenting fieldwork, creating compelling visuals for research, or engaging in environmental advocacy through imagery.

Veterans interested in these creative outlets have excellent options to consider. The best online photography degree programs for veterans offer tailored support and flexible learning environments for those transitioning from military to civilian life, empowering them to pursue careers linked to Earth Science and environmental studies.

Best Scientists Citing Michael Lehning

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles