Governing Processes of Structure-Borne Snowdrifts: A Case Study at Neumayer Station III

Abstract

The genesis of snowdrifts and its governing processes are not fully understood. In Antarctica, understanding snow movement is crucial for assessing ice sheet mass balance and tackling logistical challenges related to human infrastructure. So far, extensive research has focused on snow-wind interactions on flat terrain, emphasizing the crucial roles of flow turbulence and snow properties. This work expands an existing Eulerian-Lagrangian model by incorporating buildings to simulate snowdrifts around complex structures, using advanced saltation physics. The German Antarctic research station Neumayer III is used as a test site. This development brings new levels of interaction between snow particles and larger structures, making the simulations more representative of real-world conditions. Specifically, numerical simulations were conducted to test the influence of six parameters on snowdrift formation, namely: wind force, snowbed cohesion, particle diameter, precipitation rate and building height and shape. Results show that the size of snowdrifts is mostly affected by wind force, preferential deposition and snowbed cohesion, while fine features of the building shape control their form. Nevertheless, significant uncertainties remain regarding the interaction of these parameters, highlighting the need for further research to improve modeling frameworks. This study demonstrates that our model is well-suited for engineering applications, guiding optimal designs for buildings and infrastructure in snow-affected environments.