Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction
ABSTRACT The long-accepted theory to explain why snow is slippery postulates self-lubrication: frictional heat from sliding melts and thereby lubricates the contacting snow grains. We recently published micro-scale interface observations that contradicted this explanation: contacting snow grains abr...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.97 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143018000977 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/jog.2018.97 2024-06-23T07:54:15+00:00 Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction LEVER, JAMES H. TAYLOR, SUSAN HOCH, GARRETT R. DAGHLIAN, CHARLES 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.97 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143018000977 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of Glaciology volume 65, issue 249, page 68-84 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 journal-article 2018 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.97 2024-05-29T08:09:07Z ABSTRACT The long-accepted theory to explain why snow is slippery postulates self-lubrication: frictional heat from sliding melts and thereby lubricates the contacting snow grains. We recently published micro-scale interface observations that contradicted this explanation: contacting snow grains abraded and did not melt under a polyethylene slider, despite low friction values. Here we provide additional observational and theoretical evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction. We obtained coordinated infrared, visible-light and scanning-electron micrographs that confirm that the evolving shapes observed during our tribometer tests are contacting snow grains polished by abrasion, and that the wear particles can sinter together and fill the adjacent pore spaces. Furthermore, dry-contact abrasive wear reasonably predicts the evolution of snow-slider contact area, and sliding-heat-source theory confirms that contact temperatures would not reach 0°C during our tribometer tests. Importantly, published measurements of interface temperatures also indicate that melting did not occur during field tests on sleds and skis. Although prevailing theory anticipates a transition from dry to lubricated contact along a slider, we suggest that dry-contact abrasion and heat flow can prevent this transition from occurring for snow-friction scenarios of practical interest. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Journal of Glaciology 65 249 68 84 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
ABSTRACT The long-accepted theory to explain why snow is slippery postulates self-lubrication: frictional heat from sliding melts and thereby lubricates the contacting snow grains. We recently published micro-scale interface observations that contradicted this explanation: contacting snow grains abraded and did not melt under a polyethylene slider, despite low friction values. Here we provide additional observational and theoretical evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction. We obtained coordinated infrared, visible-light and scanning-electron micrographs that confirm that the evolving shapes observed during our tribometer tests are contacting snow grains polished by abrasion, and that the wear particles can sinter together and fill the adjacent pore spaces. Furthermore, dry-contact abrasive wear reasonably predicts the evolution of snow-slider contact area, and sliding-heat-source theory confirms that contact temperatures would not reach 0°C during our tribometer tests. Importantly, published measurements of interface temperatures also indicate that melting did not occur during field tests on sleds and skis. Although prevailing theory anticipates a transition from dry to lubricated contact along a slider, we suggest that dry-contact abrasion and heat flow can prevent this transition from occurring for snow-friction scenarios of practical interest. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
LEVER, JAMES H. TAYLOR, SUSAN HOCH, GARRETT R. DAGHLIAN, CHARLES |
spellingShingle |
LEVER, JAMES H. TAYLOR, SUSAN HOCH, GARRETT R. DAGHLIAN, CHARLES Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
author_facet |
LEVER, JAMES H. TAYLOR, SUSAN HOCH, GARRETT R. DAGHLIAN, CHARLES |
author_sort |
LEVER, JAMES H. |
title |
Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
title_short |
Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
title_full |
Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
title_fullStr |
Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
title_full_unstemmed |
Evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
title_sort |
evidence that abrasion can govern snow kinetic friction |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.97 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143018000977 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 65, issue 249, page 68-84 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.97 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
65 |
container_issue |
249 |
container_start_page |
68 |
op_container_end_page |
84 |
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1802646353007869952 |