Density Variations in Alpine Snow

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Alford, Donald
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1967
• Subjects: Mount Logan; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000019717; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000019717

Abstract Stratigraphic studies of the annual snow layer in the Beartooth Mountains of south-western Montana and on Mount Logan in the St. Elias Range have disclosed a similiar distribution of at least one physical property of the snow pack in the two areas. The average density of the pack, obtained by integrating a series of measurements taken at 5–10 cm. vertical intervals over the total thickness of the annual layer, reaches a maximum value near a mid-point of the total elevation covered by each traverse and decreases linearly toward the elevation extremes. A preliminary hypothesis, relating the distribution of average snow-density values along slopes to a semi-stable zonation of near-surface air temperatures, is presented.