Threshold Wind-Speeds and Elastic Impact in Snow Transport

Abstract

Abstract Cohesive forces are added to the analysis of forces on sand and soil particles to show that fluid drag, alone, often cannot initiate movement of a snow surface. The impact force of saltating ice spheres, however, can easily provide the force to break cohesive bonds, according to these calculations. The argument suggests a balance between the distribution of bond strengths of exposed surface particles and the distribution of saltation trajectory heights.