Concerning the Deposition and Diagenesis of Strata in Polar Firn
Abstract Depth hoar in polar firn forms when large temperature gradients act on low-density firn, but high-density firn does not develop into depth hoar. Low densities in firn may be depositional (burial of surface hoar or still-air snowfall) or diagenetic (mass loss to the free atmosphere, typicall...
| Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1988
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000007024 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000007024 |
| Summary: | Abstract Depth hoar in polar firn forms when large temperature gradients act on low-density firn, but high-density firn does not develop into depth hoar. Low densities in firn may be depositional (burial of surface hoar or still-air snowfall) or diagenetic (mass loss to the free atmosphere, typically in autumn); however, diagenesis is sufficiently strong to cause significant mass loss only in the top 50–100 mm of firn. Between about 50–100 mm and 2 m depth, grain growth and densification are accelerated strongly by temperature-gradient effects; from 2 to 5 m, temperature gradients have a small but measurable effect on rates of processes in firn, and below 5 m rates essentially have isothermal values. Diagenetic depth-hoar layers typically develop in the autumn, are relatively thick, and have smooth bases. Depositional depth-hoar layers may develop at any season, are relatively thin, and have irregular bases. In low-accumulation regions, visual stratification may preserve only an annual signal, but in high-accumulation regions individual storms or other features may be recognizable. |
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