抄録
Chemical changes of snow cover were studied. The concentration of chemical constituents, pH and water equivalent of snow cover were observed together with other related factors in Sapporo during the winter of 1979-80.
During the melting periods, the concentration of chemical constituents of the total snow cover decreased and pH increased. During the temporary snowmelts and the early phase of the snowmelt season, only the surface snow layer melted, and showed a decreased concentration of chemical constituents. In these phases the meltwater flowed downwards in the form of a water channel flow. When the meltwater began flowing downwards in the form of a water-film flow as the snowmelt progressed, the snow particles changed into large granular snow and the concentration of the chemical constituents of the inner layers began to decrease.
The earlier meltwater was considered to contain extremely large amounts of chemical constituents and had a low pH. The mechanism of the decrease in the concentration of chemical constituents in the snow cover and that of the increased concentration in the meltwater were discussed.
