Cloud Physicist for Southern Ocean Clouds project, 2020 to present.

UK Polar Network committee member, 2020 to present.

Editorial board SESS report,  SIOS, 2019-2020.

PhD, polarimetric weather radar, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) & MeteoSwiss, 2015 – 2019

Internship, MeteoSwiss and WMO SPICE project, 2014-2015.

MSc, Environmental Sciences, Université de Genève, 2011-2014.

Research interests

I work within the Southern Ocean Clouds project which is part of the overarching CloudSense project. The aim is to improve the representation of mixed phase clouds over the Southern Ocean in climate models. The Southern Ocean is the area in the world where climate models show the largest biases in surface radiation and sea surface temperature. These biases are thought to be related to errors in the representation of mixed phase clouds in models. We are therefore investigating the source and composition of cloud forming nuclei responsible for the formation of these clouds, as well as the cloud microphysical processes (such as secondary ice production) that are important for mixed phase clouds. Over the course of the project we will be increasing the observations of the various types and sources of aerosol in this region which can act as cloud forming nuclei. This observational data will be used to validate and improve models of aerosol production over the Southern Ocean.

2020

• van den Heuvel, F. Hübner C., Blaszczyk M., Heimann M., Lihavainen H. (eds): State of Environmental Science in Svalbard report 2019, Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System, Longyearbyen.
• van den Heuvel, F., Foresti L., Gabella, M., Germann U., and Berne, A: Learning about the vertical structure of radar reflectivity using hydrometeor classes and neural networks in the Swiss Alps. Atmos. Meas. Tech. 13, 2481-2500, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-2481-2020, 2020.

2018

• van den Heuvel, F., Gabella, M., Germann, U., and Berne, A.: Characterisation of the melting layer variability in an Alpine valley based on polarimetric X-band radar scans, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 5181-5198, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-5181-2018, 2018.
• Nitu et al.: WMO Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE) (2012-2015), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), IOM Report-No.131, https://library.wmo.int/doc num.php?explnum id=5686, 2018.

2016

• van den Heuvel, F., Goyette, S., Rahman, K., and Stoffel, M.: Circulation patterns related to debris-flow triggering in the Zermatt valley in current and future climates, Geomorph, 272, 127-136, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.12.010, 2016.
• (non scientific) Elégie pour l’Arctique où la glace fond si vite, 24 Heures Grand Nord project, 12.07.2016.

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

1. Investigating mixotrophy in Antarctic cycles

   MACS looks at Antarctica’s rapidly changing seasonal sea ice. As the planet warms microalgae growing in ice and water are affected and this, in turn, affects our climate system.

   Read more of: Investigating mixotrophy in Antarctic cycles

   

2. The Sustainable Flag Project

   The field department have estimate the use of 400 flags on station with ~ 1,000 flags deployed into the field each year. We have conducted a preliminary trial by testing different material types (cotton canvas and Ventile) at select sites around Rothera.

   Read more of: The Sustainable Flag Project

   

3. Southern Ocean Clouds

   Southern Ocean Clouds improves climate models by studying cloud processes over the Southern Ocean to reduce global prediction errors. 

   Read more of: Southern Ocean Clouds

   

1. Cloud scientists take to the skies to solve climate uncertainty

   A project looking at how clouds affect climate change in Antarctica starts its second year of field research this month. The Southern Ocean Clouds (SOC) project, which is part of the CloudSense programme, will carry out research on the RRS Sir David Attenborough and at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.

   Read more of: Cloud scientists take to the skies to solve climate uncertainty

   

2. Flying campaign to improve climate modelling begins

   A team of scientists are currently conducting a major experiment over the Southern Ocean that will help to improve climate modelling. The Southern Ocean Clouds project team are performing several […]

   Read more of: Flying campaign to improve climate modelling begins