dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaControlled Irradiative Formation of Penitentes
| Authors | V. Bergeron, C. Berger, M. D. Betterton |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0601184 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0601184 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.098502 |
Abstract
Spike-shaped structures are produced by light-driven ablation in very different contexts. Penitentes 1-4 m high are common on Andean glaciers, where their formation changes glacier dynamics and hydrology. Laser ablation can produce cones 10-100 microns high with a variety of proposed applications in materials science. We report the first laboratory generation of centimeter-scale snow and ice penitentes. Systematically varying conditions allows identification of the essential parameters controlling the formation of ablation structures. We demonstrate that penitente initiation and coarsening requires cold temperatures, so that ablation leads to sublimation rather than melting. Once penitentes have formed, further growth of height can occur by melting. The penitentes intially appear as small structures (3 mm high) and grow by coarsening to 1-5 cm high. Our results are an important step towards understanding and controlling ablation morphologies.
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"abstract": "Spike-shaped structures are produced by light-driven ablation in very\ndifferent contexts. Penitentes 1-4 m high are common on Andean glaciers, where\ntheir formation changes glacier dynamics and hydrology. Laser ablation can\nproduce cones 10-100 microns high with a variety of proposed applications in\nmaterials science. We report the first laboratory generation of\ncentimeter-scale snow and ice penitentes. Systematically varying conditions\nallows identification of the essential parameters controlling the formation of\nablation structures. We demonstrate that penitente initiation and coarsening\nrequires cold temperatures, so that ablation leads to sublimation rather than\nmelting. Once penitentes have formed, further growth of height can occur by\nmelting. The penitentes intially appear as small structures (3 mm high) and\ngrow by coarsening to 1-5 cm high. Our results are an important step towards\nunderstanding and controlling ablation morphologies.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0601184",
"authors": [
"V. Bergeron",
"C. Berger",
"M. D. Betterton"
],
"categories": [
"physics.geo-ph",
"cond-mat.soft",
"nlin.PS"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.098502",
"title": "Controlled Irradiative Formation of Penitentes",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0601184"
},
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