Three Examples Where the Specific Surface Area of Snow Increased Over Time : Volume 3, Issue 1 (16/03/2009)

By Domine, F.

Book Id: WPLBN0004022397
Format Type: PDF Article :
File Size: Pages 9
Reproduction Date: 2015

Title:	Three Examples Where the Specific Surface Area of Snow Increased Over Time : Volume 3, Issue 1 (16/03/2009)
Author:	Domine, F.
Volume:	Vol. 3, Issue 1
Language:	English
Subject:	Science, Cryosphere
Collections:	Periodicals: Journal and Magazine Collection, Copernicus GmbH
Historic Publication Date:	2009
Publisher:	Copernicus Gmbh, Göttingen, Germany

Member Page:	Copernicus Publications
Citation APA MLA Chicago Sturm, M., Domine, F., Douglas, T. A., Taillandier, A., & Cabanes, A. (2009). Three Examples Where the Specific Surface Area of Snow Increased Over Time : Volume 3, Issue 1 (16/03/2009). Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
Description: Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l'Environnement, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 96, 38402 Saint-Martin d'Hères Cedex, France. Snow on the ground impacts climate through its high albedo and affects atmospheric composition through its ability to adsorb chemical compounds. The quantification of these effects requires the knowledge of the specific surface area (SSA) of snow and its rate of change. All relevant studies indicate that snow SSA decreases over time. Here, we report for the first time three cases where the SSA of snow increased over time. These are (1) the transformation of a melt-freeze crust into depth hoar, producing an increase in SSA from 3.4 to 8.8 m² kg⁻¹. (2) The mobilization of surface snow by wind, which reduced the size of snow crystals by sublimation and fragmented them. This formed a surface snow layer with a SSA of 61 m² kg⁻¹ from layers whose SSAs were originally 42 and 50 m² kg⁻¹. (3) The sieving of blowing snow by a snow layer, which allowed the smallest crystals to penetrate into open spaces in the snow, leading to an SSA increase from 32 to 61 m² kg⁻¹. We discuss that other mechanisms for SSA increase are possible. Overall, SSA increases are probably not rare. They lead to enhanced uptake of chemical compounds and to increases in snow albedo, and their inclusion in relevant chemical and climate models deserves consideration.

Summary
Three examples where the specific surface area of snow increased over time

Excerpt
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