Growth Rates of Crystal Grains in Snow at Mizuho Station, Antarctica (Special Issue of the Proceedings of the First Symposium on Antarctic Meteorology and Glaciology)

Abstract

Measurements of the mean cross-sectional area of crystal grams in snow were made with core samples drilled at Mizuho Station, Antarctica. It was found that the cross-sectional area of crystal grains in snow increased with increasing depth till the depth of about 50 m. The relationship between the cross-sectional area of crystal grains and the time elapsed was essentially linear, but the growth rate of crystal grams was larger in snow at depths below 35 m. The increase in the growth rate can be attributed to the stress-enhancement or the smaller rate of snow accumulation From the growth rate of crystal grains in snow above 35 m, the net accumulation rate at Mizuho Station was estimated to be roughly 70 kg m^a^ 0n the basis of the discontinuity of growth curves and the apparent increase in the growth rate of crystal grains, a colder climate or period of smaller snow accumulation was suggested to have lasted for about 70 years roughly 340 years ago.