Research on the Evolution of Snow Crystal Necks and the Effect on Hardness during Snowpack Metamorphism
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors1. While dealing with snow metamorphism , it would become mandatory to observe and analyze the the snow metamorphism process in melting season. Therefore, the authors are requested to submit the analysis of whole accumulation to melting time period.
2. Please show and discuss the effect of specific humidity over the snow metamorphism.
3. How the snow grain size evolution would be and its effect on neck formation shall be discussed.
Please check grammatical errors in detail
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Special thanks to you for constructive comments concerning our manuscript entitled Research on the evolution of snow crystal necks and effect on hardness during snowpack metamorphism (ID: water-2754056). Your comments are all valuable and very helpful for revising and improving our manuscript. We have studied comments carefully and have made solid revisions which we hope meet with approval. All modified parts are marked in red font in the new version. Please see the resubmitted manuscript.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe paper titled "Research on the Evolution of Snow Crystal Necks and Their Effect on Hardness During Snowpack Metamorphism" presents a comprehensive investigation into the evolution of snow microstructure during varying metamorphism stages. The primary aim was to analyze the snow neck area and explore how temperature, solar radiation, snow density, and wind speed impact its characteristics, particularly in the context of global warming and its implications for the cryosphere as a key driver of climate change.
The paper is particularly relevant due to its focus on the cryosphere's significance in understanding climate change, aligning well with the journal's scope and relevance. The study conducted a controlled snow metamorphism experiment, maintaining a constant density of 200 kg/m³, to comprehend the dynamics of the snow neck region. Findings highlighted that the neck area is notably affected by temperature, solar radiation, and snow density, while wind speed has minimal influence.
A noteworthy contribution of the paper is the development of a multiple linear regression equation denoted as "S = -1342T + 3E + 112ρ + 8854V - 62339," where 'S' represents the neck area, incorporating solar radiation (E), temperature (T), snow density (ρ), and wind speed (V). Impressively, these four factors collectively account for 87% of the variability affecting the neck area, underscoring their pivotal role in its evolution.
Furthermore, the study establishes a strong correlation between snow hardness and the neck area, reaching 71% in earlier metamorphic stages and potentially rising to 91% in later phases. Utilizing the neck area, the researchers derive a predictive equation for snow hardness: "H = 0.002764S + 67.922837."
Overall, this research delineates intricate growth patterns within the neck region of metamorphic snow cover. It elucidates the complex relationship between external environmental factors and the resulting microstructure and macroscopic physical characteristics of the snow cover. The findings not only deepen our comprehension of snow metamorphism but also offer valuable insights into predicting snow hardness based on identified influential factors.
The manuscript is exceptionally well-written, and the figures included are of high quality. The paper's comprehensive methodology, meticulous experimentation, and robust statistical analyses significantly contribute to the field of snow science, carrying implications for environmental studies, climatology, and material science.
As a reviewer, I commend the authors for their thorough investigation and strongly recommend this paper for publication due to its scientific rigor, clear presentation, and substantial contribution to the field.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Special thanks to you for constructive comments concerning our manuscript entitled Research on the evolution of snow crystal necks and effect on hardness during snowpack metamorphism (ID: water-2754056). Your comments are all valuable and very helpful for revising and improving our manuscript. We have studied comments carefully and have made solid revisions which we hope meet with approval. All modified parts are marked in red font in the new version. Please see the resubmitted manuscript.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe paper is a good study on the effects of temperature, sun radiation, snow density, and wind speed on the snow neck region. However, some modifications should be made before any publication of this work.
In some sections of the paper, especially the introduction, there are so many not related sentences after each other. It is suggested to go through the introduction.
English should be improved significantly. For example, on page 2 line 51 to 56 is a big sentence. Please avoid using sentences bigger than 3 lines maximum.
What does "side limit" on page 2 line 50 mean? Please elaborate.
Line 64: "Gubler et al.[17] investigated chain snow crystals, and the growth pattern of snow crystal shapes and neck bonds was improved by counting the line lengths of the grain bonds,..."
What do you mean by "the growth pattern of snow crystal shapes and neck bonds was improved"? Please modify the text or elaborate more.
How the borders between the neck and the main snow grains were defined and their surface area was obtained?
In Figure 5 f in the snow body, there are some sections with a temperature of 4 °C. To the best of reviewer's knowledge wet snow temperatuer should be close to 0 °C. Why does the high-temperature section exist on the snow body?
Most of the plots lack error bars. How many times each experiment was conducted to make sure the results are repeatable?
Comments on the Quality of English Language
Please reread the paper and improve its English quality, especially in the introduction.
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Special thanks to you for constructive comments concerning our manuscript entitled Research on the evolution of snow crystal necks and effect on hardness during snowpack metamorphism (ID: water-2754056). Your comments are all valuable and very helpful for revising and improving our manuscript. We have studied comments carefully and have made solid revisions which we hope meet with approval. All modified parts are marked in red font in the new version. Please see the resubmitted manuscript.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsCommendable address of the comments by the authors.
