HEAT AND MASS FLUX THROUGH DRY SNOW

The conditions for obtaining thermal convection in dry snow are examined. It is shown that thermal convection will occur in dry snow layers with strong vertical temperature gradients and large air permeabilities (i.e. old snow). Thermal convection will lower the insulating power of the snow and increase the flux of water vapor through the snow layer. The magnitude of the heat and mass flux in convection is computed for several values of the Rayleigh number. -Authors