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Fragmentation of wind‐blown snow crystals
Author(s) -
Comola Francesco,
Kok Jasper F.,
Gaume Johan,
Paterna Enrico,
Lehning Michael
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl073039
Subject(s) - snow , scaling , fractal , wind tunnel , snowflake , statistical physics , fragmentation (computing) , environmental science , particle size distribution , wind speed , atmospheric sciences , mechanics , meteorology , physics , geology , particle size , mathematics , geometry , mathematical analysis , paleontology , computer science , operating system
Understanding the dynamics driving the transformation of snowfall crystals into blowing snow particles is critical to correctly account for the energy and mass balances in polar and alpine regions. Here we propose a fragmentation theory of fractal snow crystals that explicitly links the size distribution of blowing snow particles to that of falling snow crystals. We use discrete element modeling of the fragmentation process to support the assumptions made in our theory. By combining this fragmentation model with a statistical mechanics model of blowing snow, we are able to reproduce the characteristic features of blowing snow size distributions measured in the field and in a wind tunnel. In particular, both model and measurements show the emergence of a self‐similar scaling for large particle sizes and a systematic deviation from this scaling for small particle sizes.