SNOW MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS--WIND DUCT BORAX TESTS.

Polar areas are plagued with drifting snow which results in problems of a logistics and maintenance nature. To accurately determine the physics and mechanics of drifting snow, studies must be conducted in the controlled conditions offered by a coold chamber. A 2- by 2- by 23-12 ft wind duct was designed and constructed by NCEL for use in a cold chamber and calibrated at ambient temperatures in the Ice and Snow Laboratory at NCEL. Initial tests of the duct showed that it is adequate for use in snow movement studies. Functional tests of the duct using borax as a snow simulator allowe successful determination of char1cteristics similar to those which will be determined for snow. Author