Investigating the thermophysical properties of the ice-snow interface under a controlled temperature gradient Part II: Analysis

In order to develop a more intuitive understanding of the physical mechanisms and processes responsible for enhanced kinetic snow metamorphism at the ice-snow interface, we have performed a detailed and quantitative analysis of the in situ micro-thermocouple data originally presented in Part I of this study. In our detailed analysis, we have focused primarily on the observed temperature gradients from within one millimeter above and below the ice-snow interface, as measured in our laboratory prepared specimen. Our findings show via a simple one-dimensional model for energy balance that thermal contact resistance followed by decreases in the effective thermal conductivity are the primary contributors to the dramatic increases in the local temperature gradient near the ice-snow interface. Additional mechanisms for heat and mass transfer are also reviewed in our analysis, including the water vapor flux and latent heat flux.