- Depth hoar
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Depth hoares are large crystals occurring at the base of a snowpack that form from when uprising water vapor freezes onto existing snow crystal. Depth hoares are sparkly large grains with facets that can be cup-shaped and that are up to 10 mm in diameter. Depth hoares are loose granules that run through fingers and that bond and adhere to each other poorly, highly increasing the risk for avalanches.
The formation of depth hoar in antarctic firn can cause isotopic changes in the accumulating ice. This can influence analysis of ice cores in scientific research
External links
- The Avalanche Encyclopedia, extensive summary with animation of formation process
Categories:- Snow
- Atmospheric science stubs
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