Depth - hoar growth rates near a rocky outcrop

ObseJ'\'ati o ns o f sla b-m'a lanc h e releases in a lpin e te rra in hm'C led to th e hyp othesis t h a t roc ky o utcrop s ca n influence t he sp a ti a l d istri buti o n s o f tem perat ure a nd h eat fl ow in dry a lp ine snow co\'Crs a n d th us cont rol the local d i. t r ib uti on of de pth h oar. \ Vc inves ti gate th e efre cts or te rra in o n c rysta l g ro wth by usi ng a two-cl i m ensiona l fin i te-clem ent m odcl o f heat fl ow co upled with a m od el of c r ys ta l g row th fro m vapo r. vVe u sed the m od el to examine the influe n ce o f sno\\' prop e rti es, te rra in geo m e tr y a nd snO\\' depth o n this ph e n o m e no n. Th e e ffec t is stro nge r in th e ea rl y \\' in te r th a n in th e la te \' \' inte r, b ecause t he roc k h as then ha d tim e to cool. In a ll cases, wc ro undt h a t d e pth-hoar g row th occ urs prefe r e nti a lly O\'e r the r ock. Thi s suggests th a t sno\\'-pit il1\'Cs ti ga ti o ns m a d e o\'e r soil can be m isleading if roc ky o utcrop s a rc p rese nt.