Relationship between snow microstructure and physical and chemical processes

Abstract

Ice and snow in the environment are important because they not only act as a host to rich chemistry but also provide a matrix for physical exchanges of contaminants within the ecosystem. This review discusses how the structure of snow influences both chemical reactivity and physical processes, which thereby makes snow a unique medium for study. The focus is placed on impacts of the presence of liquid and surface disorder using many experimental studies, simulations, and field observations from the molecular to the micro-scale.