Dr. Dagmar Brombierstäudl

• since 03/2025
  Research associate at the Chair for Climate Geography (TT-Prof. Dr. Katharina Schröer) & Chair for Geomorphology and recent Morphodynamics (TT-Prof. Dr. Jan Blöthe) and Student counselor (B.Sc., PolyB, BA Nebenfach, M.Ed.), University of Freiburg
• 10/2024-03/2025
  Lecturer, Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University
• 07/2024
  Doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) with the thesis “Exploring aufeis in the Trans-Himalaya: Remote sensing-based studies of a neglected cryosphere component”
• 03/2020-08/2024
  Research associate and doctoral candidate in the DFG project “Exploring Aufeis: Relevance of icing and ice reservoirs for climate change adapation in the Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh, India” at the Department of Geography at the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University
• 11/2018-02/2020
  Graduate assistant and lecturer at the Department of Geography at the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University
• 2015-2018
  M.Sc. Geography, Heidelberg University
• 2011-2015
  B.A. South Asian Studies, Heidelberg University

• Remote sensing & geoinformatics
• Cryosphere
• High Mountain Areas (esp. Himalaya)
• Environmental changes
• Human-environment interactions

Peer-reviewed articles

• Zanetta-Colombo, N. C., Manzano, C. A., Brombierstäudl, D., Fleming, Z. L., Gayo, E. M., Rubinos, D. A., Jerez, O., Valdes, J., Prieto, M., Nüsser, M. (2024): Blowin’ in the wind: Mapping the dispersion of Metal(loid)s from Atacama Mining. GeoHealth 8(10): e2024GH001078: https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024GH001078
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Soheb, M., Nüsser, M. (2024): Aufeis thickness and volume estimations from stereo satellite imagery and terrestrial photographs: Evidence from Central Ladakh, India. Science of the Total Environment 954: 176180: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176180
• Schmitt, T., Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2024): Giant aufeis in the Pangong Tso Basin: Inventory of a neglected cryospheric component in Eastern Ladakh and Western Tibet. Atmosphere 15(3): 263: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/atmos15030263
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2023): Spatial and temporal dynamics of aufeis in the Tso Moriri basin, eastern Ladakh, India. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes 34(1): 81-93: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2173
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2021): Distribution and relevance of aufeis (icing) in the Upper Indus Basin. Science of The Total Environment 780: 146604. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146604

Other publications

• Brombierstäudl, D. (2025): Aufeis – eine bislang unberücksichtigte Wasserressource im Hochgebirge. wwt Wasserwirtschaft Wassertechnik 07-08.
• Schmidt, S., Brombierstäudl, D., Bhambri, R., Nüsser, M. (2021): Gletscherabbruch und Sturzflut im Zentral-Himalaya – Ein Ereignis im Februar 2021. Geographische Rundschau 73(5): 54-55.

Extended abstracts (conference contributions)

• Gepp, S., Waid, J. L., Brombierstäudl, D., Kader, A., Müller-Hauser, A. A., Wendt, A., Dame, J., Gabrysch, S. (2022): Impact of unseasonable flooding on women’s food security and mental health in rural Sylhet, Bangladesh: a longitudinal observational study. The Lancet Planetary Health 6(1): S14: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00276-5
• Brombierstäudl, D. (2019): Zeitreihen zur Abschätzung von Vegetationsdynamiken – Eine fernerkundliche Analyse am Beispiel des Langtang-Tals, Nepal, in: Müller J, Dame J, Butsch C (Hrsg): Aktuelle Forschungsbeiträge zu Südasien: 9. Jahrestagung des AK Südasien, 25./26. Januar 2019, Heidelberg, Heidelberg; Berlin: CrossAsia-eBooks, 2019 (Geographien Südasiens, Band 11): https://dx.doi.org/10.11588/xabooks.551

Oral presentations

• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Soheb, M., Nüsser, M. (2025): Beyond snow and glaciers: Quantifying aufeis thickness in the Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh, India (ESA Living Planet Symposium, 22-27 June, Vienna, Austria)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Soheb, M., Nüsser, M. (2025): Exploring aufeis in Central Ladakh, India: Quantifying volumes and thickness through satellite and terrestrial imagery (Jahrestagung des AK Hochgebirge, 16.-18- May, Bayreuth)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Soheb, M., Nüsser, M. (2025): Quantifying aufeis volumes in Central Ladakh, India: Insights from satellite and terrestrial imagery (28th Alpine Glaciology Meeting, 27./28. February, Innsbruck, Austria)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2023): Aufeis in the Upper Indus Basin – Compilation of the first inventory based on satellite imagery (20th IALS Conference, 5.-8. October, Heidelberg/Leh)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmitt, T., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2023): Aufeis in High Mountain Asia: Evidence from two endorheic basins (Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso) (EGU General Assembly, 23.-28. April, Vienna, Austria)
• Nüsser, M., Schmidt, S., Brombierstäudl, D., Soheb, M. (2023): Cryosphere dynamics and socio-hydrological interactions: Towards an integrated perspective of environment and development in Ladakh (Ladakh University, Leh + Kargil Campus, 1. & 10. March, Leh & Kargil, India)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2022): Aufeis in Ladakh: Spatial and temporal dynamics in the Tso Moriri basin (Jahrestagung des AK Hochgebirge, 20.-22. May, Heidelberg)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2022): Aufeis: A neglected cryosphere component in the Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh (25th Alpine Glaciology Meeting, 24./25. March, Munich)
• Schmidt, S., Brombierstäudl, D., Passang, S., Dame, J., Nüsser, M. (2021): Glaciers, snow and neglected forms of frozen water: Cryosphere components in the Transhimalaya of Ladakh (Indo-German Workshop on Water Availability and Quality Under Varying Environmental and Urban Conditions, 22.-23. October, Heidelberg)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2021): Mapping aufeis in the Upper Indus Basin with time-series analysis (ICIMOD Cryosphere Forum 2021, 20.-23. September, online)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2021): Distribution and relevance of aufeis (icing) in the Upper Indus Basin (Digitale Jahrestagung des AK Hochgebrige, 16./17. April)

Poster

• Schmidt, S., Brombierstäudl, D., Ladon, P., Khan, A., Nüsser, M. (2025): Bricks versus barley: Emergence and extent of top-soil extraction in Ladakh, India (Jahrestagung des AK Hochgebirge, 16.-18- May, Bayreuth)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2023): Spatial and temporal dynamics of aufeis in the Tso Moriri basin, eastern Ladakh, India (Interational conference “Himalayan Environment in Changing Climate Scenario, 19.-23. September, Leh, India)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2023): Aufeis in the Upper Indus Basin – Compilation of an inventory based on satellite imagery (26th Alpine Glaciology Meeting, 9./10. February, Birmensdorf, Switzerland)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2022): Spatial distribution and seasonal occurrence of Aufeis in the Trans-Himalayan Tso Moriri basin, eastern Ladakh (IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, 29.5-3.6, Montpellier, France)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2022): Spatial and temporal dynamics of aufeis in the Trans-Himalayan Tso Moriri basin, India, between 2008 and 2021 (ESA Living Planet Symposium 2022, 23.-27. Maiy, Bonn)
• Brombierstäudl, D., Schmidt, S., Nüsser, M. (2021): Aufeis in the Upper Indus Basin – time-series analysis for the detection of seasonal cryosphere components (#GeoWoche2021, 5.-9. October, online)

• Himalayan Permafrost Consortium (HiPERC)
• AK Hochgebirge
• AK Fernerkundung

• 09/2025 Wilhelm-Lauer Award 2025 for young scientists in geoecological research for the PhD thesis “Exploring aufeis in the Trans-Himalaya”
• 03/2025 Environmental award of the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger foundation 2024 for the PhD thesis “Exploring aufeis in the Trans-Himalaya”
• 01/2020 Research award “Geographien Südasiens 2020” of the working group “Südasien” for the master thesis on a time-series analysis of the vegetation dynamics after the ice- and debris avalanche in Langtang Valley, Nepal.