A theoretical prediction of the effects of electrostatic forces on saltating snow particles

Electrification of snow particles during blizzards creates forces that may strongly effect their trajectories in saltation along a charged surface. This paper shows the results of adding such forces to the equations of motion for saltation. Evaluating these equations requires knowledge of the electric-field strength very near the surface, and a review shows that such measurements are lacking. However, extrapolation of reported measurements from greater heights agrees with the electric field computed for a bed of spherical particles. In this hypothetical field, the equations of motion predict large changes in saltation length that might occur as particles pass over surfaces with positive and negative sign. Such changes apparently coincide with surface erosion and deposition.