The Role of Volume Diffusion in the Metamorphism of Snow

Abstract

A theoretical expression is derived for the rate of increase in the density of a compact of uniform ice spheres due to volume diffusion in the ice. The diffusion occurs due to the existence of high concentrations of vacancies in the ice just beneath the concave surfaces of the necks which grow between the ice spheres. Accurate measurements on the densification of a compact of ice spheres as a function of time, temperature, and particle size are found to be in excellent agreement with the theory The importance of this process in the metamorphism of dry snow at a uniform temperature is discussed.