Permeability measurements on new and equitemperature snow

Abstract

Measurements of the air permeability were performed on snow from six horizons within a snowpack at the Glacier Lakes Ecosystems Experiment Site in southeastern Wyoming. The snow was new or equitemperature snow, with densities (ρ s ) ranging between 0.134 and 0.367 Mg m −3 . The specific surface area of ice in each sample was measured stereologically. Intrinsic permeabilities ( K 0 ) calculated from these data ranged from 3.0×10 −10 to 3.1×10 −9 m 2 . The data fitted the equation K 0 = 1.096×10 −8 e −9.57ρs , with a standard deviation of 2.8× 10 −10 m 2 . A dimensionally correct relationship between permeability and specific surface area did not fit our data as well as a simple density relationship. The small scatter reported is attributed to careful selection of undamaged samples and the prevention of sample sublimation during the measurements.