Snow-crystal Growth with Varying Surface Temperatures and Radiation Penetration

Abstract

AbstractThe temperature field is derived for a sinusoidally varying surface temperature with varying solar radiation penetration. The growth rates of snow crystals are calculated to explain the rapidly growing layers of faceted crystals (i.e. depth hoar) that form just below the surface at high altitudes and in polar snow. The solutions also show that a layer of wet snow can exist just below the surface even on days when the surface temperature remains sub-freezing.