| Term: | Snow metamorphism |
| Definition: | The transformation that the snow undergoes in the period from deposition to either melting or passage to glacial ice. Meteorological conditions as well as mechanical or gravitational stresses are the primary external factors that affect snow metamorphism. Dry snow metamorphism is governed by both equilibrium and kinetic growth. In presence of liquid water snow transformation is driven by wet snow metamorphism. In English, snow metamorphism is sometimes and incorrectly called snowmetamorphosis. |