https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/environment-ecology/4570535-schwimmschnee.html
This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English
  3. Environment & Ecology

Schwimmschnee

English translation: rotten snow

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Schwimmschnee
English translation:rotten snow
Entered by: dkfmmuc

14:03 Oct 28, 2011
German to English translations [PRO]
Science - Environment & Ecology / Different types of snow, one is missing
German term or phrase: Schwimmschnee
Es bilden sich Kristalle, die in einer Schicht von *Schwimmschnee* oder *Tiefenreif* angereichert sind.

Jetzt weiß ich schon jede Menge über Schnee, Kristalle und deren Tragfähigkeit. Allerdings ist mir die Übersetzung von *Schwimmschnee* absolut unbekannt. Auch durch Suchen konnte ich nichts finden.

(Für Tiefenreif habe ich schon jede Menge Varianten)

Hilfe wäre nett.
dkfmmuc
Local time: 14:16
rotten snow
Explanation:
der Tiefenreif • depth hoar (der Tiefenreif). Consider also: temperature gradient snow (der Schwimmschnee), rotten snow (der Schwimmschnee). ...

Depth hoar otherwise known as rotten snow is a deadly weak layer. Getting stuck a lot is a good sign that the snowpack may be unstable.

http://www.fsavalanche.org/Default.aspx?ContentId=13&LinkId=...

Depth hoar: Imagine you're a snowflake near the ground. The Earth warms you up, and you start to sweat. (Okay, okay... it's not sweat, but you do pump water vapor into the air spaces between your lovely, fluffy crystals.) This vapor migrates to colder snowflakes and recrystallizes. They get larger, but weaker, and the result is a layer of elaborate but weakly bonded crystals called "depth hoar."
http://whyfiles.org/105avalanche/3.html
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 06:16
Grading comment
Herzlichen Dank!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2rotten snow
Kim Metzger
4 +1depth hoar
philgoddard
3sugar snow
Lynda Hepburn
2quick snow
Coqueiro


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
rotten snow


Explanation:
der Tiefenreif • depth hoar (der Tiefenreif). Consider also: temperature gradient snow (der Schwimmschnee), rotten snow (der Schwimmschnee). ...

Depth hoar otherwise known as rotten snow is a deadly weak layer. Getting stuck a lot is a good sign that the snowpack may be unstable.

http://www.fsavalanche.org/Default.aspx?ContentId=13&LinkId=...

Depth hoar: Imagine you're a snowflake near the ground. The Earth warms you up, and you start to sweat. (Okay, okay... it's not sweat, but you do pump water vapor into the air spaces between your lovely, fluffy crystals.) This vapor migrates to colder snowflakes and recrystallizes. They get larger, but weaker, and the result is a layer of elaborate but weakly bonded crystals called "depth hoar."
http://whyfiles.org/105avalanche/3.html


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 06:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 162
Grading comment
Herzlichen Dank!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Sounds great ! Will print the page with your and the others answers as a kind of souvenir from my great colleagues !


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: You beat me to it with "depth hoar", but I'll leave my answer up as it contains a couple more references.
6 mins
  -> Looks like they're synonyms. Just another word for the same thing as in the ST.
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X)
26 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
sugar snow


Explanation:
I think sugar snow describes what you are talking about, but am not certain this is identical to Schwimschnee.

See: http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=196&catid=6&subc...
"Avalanches usually occur when a layer of snow called "sugar snow" (snow that doesn't bond well with other snow) cannot support the weight of additional snow and collapses, causing the top layers of snow to slide. Sugar snow is produced when water vapor condenses, forming loosely bonded crystals, when the temperature difference with the snowpack exceed 10°C per meter. "

Lynda Hepburn
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 40
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your answer ! At the moment (and tomorrow) I will proofread my text and will let you know what I have chosen.

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
depth hoar


Explanation:
It means the same as Tiefenreif, and also translates as "coarse-grained snow".

Example sentence(s):
  • Coarse-grained snow (a.k.a. “depth hoar” or “Schwimmschnee”) is then formed. Coarse-grained snow comprises large grains with loose connection between one another.
  • Often, the combined weight of snow and people walking on a snowpack with an internal weak layer such as depth hoar (German: Schwimmschnee) or light density snow will cause the weakness to collapse

    Reference: http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/fall-2010/deep-below-the-snowy-sur...
    Reference: http://www.unis.no/studies/geology/ag_204_more_info/ole/Aval...
philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: Like above - great examples and much help for me.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): well done: what a plethora of possibilities/learned something new
24 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
quick snow


Explanation:
perhaps, analogous to quick sand.

http://www.avalanche.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=231,...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 Min. (2011-10-28 14:20:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-BXa5BssBg

Coqueiro
Local time: 14:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: I am not sure but I think it´s like a "special" version of fresh snow. The often adevrtised powder snow (which you can find in marketing texts also as like being champaign powder or so).

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations