TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

NIEVE PENITENTE [1 record]

Record 1 2021-07-14

English

Subject field(s)
  • Glaciology
  • Geomorphology and Geomorphogeny
DEF

A spike or pillar of compacted snow ... caused by differential melting and evaporation.

CONT

As we reached higher altitudes, we came across large expanses of what is called "penitent snow." These meter-high blades of snow represent a thermodynamically favorable configuration that can persist long after the bulk of the snow in an area has melted.

OBS

penitente: term of Spanish origin.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Glaciologie
  • Géomorphologie et géomorphogénie
DEF

Pointe [...] de neige [...] causée par la fonte et l'évaporation.

CONT

Les phénomènes d'ablation sont à l'origine, à la surface des glaciers, d'un microrelief dont une des formes les plus caractéristiques sont les pénitents de neige. Ce sont des reliefs en saillie, de forme grossièrement coniques, mais généralement dissymétriques, en pente plus forte sur l'une de leurs faces.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Glaciología
  • Geomorfología y geomorfogénesis
Key term(s)
  • penitentes de nieve
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