Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature
Abstract In the absence of imposed temperature gradients, the metamorphism of dry snow is dominated by the slow process of vapor diffusion between surfaces of different radii of curvature. This process is so slow in a seasonal snow cover (where temperatures normally change on the scale of hours or d...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1980
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000010832 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000010832 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000010832 2024-03-03T08:46:07+00:00 Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature Colbeck, S. C. 1980 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000010832 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000010832 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 26, issue 94, page 291-301 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1980 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000010832 2024-02-08T08:38:15Z Abstract In the absence of imposed temperature gradients, the metamorphism of dry snow is dominated by the slow process of vapor diffusion between surfaces of different radii of curvature. This process is so slow in a seasonal snow cover (where temperatures normally change on the scale of hours or days) that vapor migration is usually dominated by the imposed temperature gradient. Thus radius of curvature contributes to but does not control metamorphism except for short periods in very fresh snow. As opposed to dry snow, liquid-saturated snow (i.e. pore space filled by the melt) is metamorphosed by heat flow arising from relatively large temperature differences among the particles. Grain growth in liquid-saturated snow is rapid because of the large temperature differences at nearly constant liquid pressure. In wet snow with low liquid content (2-5% by volume), grain growth is dominated by vapor diffusion (as in dry snow) so grain growth is much slower than under conditions of liquid saturation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Journal of Glaciology 26 94 291 301 |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
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English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
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Earth-Surface Processes Colbeck, S. C. Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
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Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract In the absence of imposed temperature gradients, the metamorphism of dry snow is dominated by the slow process of vapor diffusion between surfaces of different radii of curvature. This process is so slow in a seasonal snow cover (where temperatures normally change on the scale of hours or days) that vapor migration is usually dominated by the imposed temperature gradient. Thus radius of curvature contributes to but does not control metamorphism except for short periods in very fresh snow. As opposed to dry snow, liquid-saturated snow (i.e. pore space filled by the melt) is metamorphosed by heat flow arising from relatively large temperature differences among the particles. Grain growth in liquid-saturated snow is rapid because of the large temperature differences at nearly constant liquid pressure. In wet snow with low liquid content (2-5% by volume), grain growth is dominated by vapor diffusion (as in dry snow) so grain growth is much slower than under conditions of liquid saturation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Colbeck, S. C. |
author_facet |
Colbeck, S. C. |
author_sort |
Colbeck, S. C. |
title |
Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
title_short |
Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
title_full |
Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
title_fullStr |
Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
title_full_unstemmed |
Thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
title_sort |
thermodynamics of snow metamorphism due to variations in curvature |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1980 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000010832 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000010832 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 26, issue 94, page 291-301 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000010832 |
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Journal of Glaciology |
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26 |
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94 |
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291 |
op_container_end_page |
301 |
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1792502035440992256 |