No, a Firn is not a form of ice it is a part of a plant.
The change from grainy firn to steel-blue ice is caused by the compaction of firn layers under the weight of overlying snow, which forces out air and results in denser ice formation. This process eliminates air bubbles, allowing light to penetrate deeper into the ice and giving it a blue color due to ice crystal refraction.
The middle layer of a glacier is called the "firn zone". This layer is composed of partially compacted snow that is in the process of being transformed into ice. The firn zone is found between the surface snow accumulation zone and the deeper layers of glacier ice.
Firn
Snow and firn are compressed into a mass of ice due to the weight of the overlying snow, which increases pressure on the underlying layers. This pressure causes the snow crystals to recrystallize, expelling air and turning into denser ice. Over time, continued compression and recrystallization lead to the formation of glacier ice.
Snow that is compacted by overlying layers transforms into firn, which is granular snow that has partially melted and refrozen. Over time, with additional pressure from more snow accumulating above, firn can further compress and eventually turn into glacial ice. This process is essential in the formation of glaciers, where layers of snow and firn accumulate and change under pressure.
The weight of accumulated snow compresses lower layers, causing them to undergo a process called firnification, where air is squeezed out and the snow turns into firn, a dense, grainy type of snow. Over time, this firn further compresses into glacier ice due to the pressure and weight of the overlying snow and ice layers.
When snow is packed down by a great force, it becomes denser and more compact. This can create a layer of firn, which is partially compacted snow between fresh snow and glacial ice. Over time, this firn can further compress into glacial ice through the process of metamorphism.
firn
A snowfield typically forms before a glacier. Snow accumulates on high-altitude areas, gradually turning into firn (a type of compacted snow). Over time, the firn transforms into glacial ice, leading to the development of a glacier.
Snow is transformed into glacial ice through a process called firnification, where successive layers of snow are compressed under their weight into firn, a compacted snow with some air pockets. Over time, the firn undergoes further compaction and recrystallization, becoming glacial ice. This process can take several decades to centuries depending on the accumulation rate and temperatures.
The snow that forms a glacier changes to ice through a process called compaction and recrystallization. As new layers of snow accumulate, the weight of the overlying snow compresses the lower layers, causing the flakes to lose air and compact into firmer granules called firn. Over time, with continued pressure and the effects of temperature changes, the firn transforms into solid ice as the ice crystals grow larger and more interconnected. This process can take several decades to centuries, depending on environmental conditions.
The cast of Firn - 2006 includes: Robert Gwisdek Uwe Preuss as Georg