The Initiation of Dirt Cones on Snow

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Abstract
Dirt cones develop where debris has been blown on to snow and has become concentrated into numerous small patches thick enough to protect the underlying snow from ablation. These striking accumulations of dirt, separated by virtually dirt-free snow, are produced by movement (both contraction and expansion) of the snow surface during ablation. Factors controlling this movement operate in such a way that local concentrations of dirt will be produced even when initial deposition of the dirt is almost uniform. The significance of these processes in relation to the development and structure of dirt cone fields is discussed, and certain experiments and observations on dirt cones are described.

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