<![CDATA[
<BODY LINK="#0000ff" VLINK="#800080">
<FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">SNOW TERMINOLOGY</P>
</FONT><P>PURPOSE: To study different snow conditions and their ecological importance in the north temperate zone.</P>
<P>MATERIALS: Suitable winter clothing, weather-protected notebook, pencil, hand lens, snow shovel. Optional -- snowshoes or cross-country skis. </P>
<P>INTRODUCTION: To some people living in the north temperate zone, snow is a nuisance that needs to be shoveled, plowed, melted, or tolerated so that their everyday activities can go on in winter. Others enjoy winter sports like hiking, skiing and snowmobiling. However, to people living in the far north, snow conditions can determine survival. The Inuit people (Eskimos) of the tundra and the Athabaskan people of the taiga (northern forests) have dozens of terms to reflect small -- but important -- differences in snow conditions.</P>
<P>These snow terms can be important to scientists as well. They often call attention to differences in snow conditions that influence the survival and distribution of northern plants and animals, as well as humans. English-speaking scientists use Inuit or Athabaskan snow terms when there are no equivalent English terms.</P>
<P>In this activity, you will use Inuit snow terminology to describe differences in snow characteristics such as texture, hardness, and crystal structure. You will also try to determine how these snow conditions influence the survival of plants and animals in your area. Don't worry if the Inuit words sound strange to you or seem hard to pronounce. The purpose of this activity is not to learn a new language, but to understand that snow can be as unique and significant as the Inuit terms used to describe it.</P>
<FONT SIZE=4><P ALIGN="CENTER">SNOW TERMINOLOGY CHART</P></FONT>
<TABLE CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=638>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Spelling</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Pronunciation</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>English Description</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Anniu</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>an-nee-you</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>fresh falling snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Sicok</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>see-kok</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>blowing snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Apun</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>ah-poon</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>snow on the ground</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Aqilluqqaq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>ah-kik-kak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>soft snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Sitliq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>sit-lik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>hard packed snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Auksalak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>auk-sak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>melting snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Upsik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>up-sik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>wind-driven snow on ground</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Tumarinyiq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>too-mah-rin-nik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>ripple marks on snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Qali</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>kal-ee</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>snow that collects on trees</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Qamaniq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>kom-an-nik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>bowl-shaped depression in snow around base of tree</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Aniuvak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>an-nee-you-vak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>snow pack, snow bank</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Nutagaq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>noot-a-rik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>fresh powder snow</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Qiqsruqquq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>kiks-roo-kuk</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>glaze on snow in thaw time</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Siqoqtoaq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>see-kok-tow-ak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>sun crust</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Pukak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>pew-kak</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>lowest layer of snow, "sugar snow" or "candled snow" or depth hoar</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>Kitiqsrugniq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>ka-tiks-roor-nik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>snow drift</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Kalutoganiq</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>kal-oot-ah-gon-nik</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>arrowhead-shaped drift</TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD WIDTH="19%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P ALIGN="CENTER">Mapsuk</TD>
<TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>map-sook</TD>
<TD WIDTH="56%" VALIGN="TOP">
<P>overhanging drift</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<P> </P>
<P>PROCEDURE: Take a walk to an area away from human activity where the snow is undisturbed. If the snow is very deep you may choose to wear snowshoes or cross-country skis. Record all your observations on the data sheet.</P>
<P>A. If there is snow in the air, describe or sketch the crystal structure of the ANNIU (fresh-falling snow) or SICOK (blowing snow).</P>
<P>B. Describe or sketch the texture, hardness and crystal structure of the APUN (snow on the ground). Use specific Inuit terms if possible, such as AQILLUQQAQ (soft snow), SITLIQ (hard-packed snow), AUKSALAK (melting snow), or UPSIK (wind driven snow on ground). Look for TUMARINYIQ (ripple marks in the snow), and signs of animal life, such as tracks or tunnels, that relate to the snow conditions.</P>
<P>C. Describe or sketch the texture, hardness and crystal structure of the QALI (snow on tree branches) and in the QAMANIQ (snow depression around base of tree).</P>
<P>D. Using a snow shovel, cut a vertical face in the ANIUVAK (the snow pack). Examine the layers of snow from the NUTAGAQ (fresh powder snow), QIQSRUQQUQ (glaze on snow in thaw time), or SIQOQTOAQ (sun crust) all the way down to the PUKAK (bottom layer). Describe or sketch the differences you note in the texture, hardness, or crystal structure of the layers.</P>
<P>E. Describe and sketch the snow in a KITIQSRUGNIQ (snowdrift), KALUTOGANIQ (arrowhead-shaped drift), or MAPSUK (overhanging drift). Try to determine what caused the drift to form.</P>
<P><A NAME="QuickMark"></A>F. Describe and sketch any man-made snow conditions you find.</P>
<P>QUESTIONS:</P>
<P>1. How do you account for the differences between crystals of fresh falling snow and blowing snow?</P>
<P>2. How could the movement of mice, voles, rabbits, and deer be affected by fresh powder snow compared to sun-crusted snow?</P>
<P>3. How might the accumulation of snow on trees affect the winter survival of plants and animals?</P>
<P>4. How might the lack of snow near tree trunks affect the winter survival of plants and animals?</P>
<P>5. Do you think snow on the ground usually helps or hinders the survival of small northern plants and animals? Explain your ideas.</P>
<P>6. Explain how you think snow drifts usually form.</P>
<P>7. What is the effect of man-made snow conditions on the survival of plants and animals in winter?</P>
<P>8. Which snow types on the list were not found? Why?</P>
<P> </P>
<P>	SNOW TERMINOLOGY DATA SHEET</P>
<P>Describe or sketch the texture, hardness and crystal structure of snow in each location. </P>
<P>====================================================================</P>
<P>A. Snow in the air</P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>B. Snow on the ground</P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>C. Snow on or under trees</P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>D. Snow in snow pack</P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>E. Snow in drifts</P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P>F. Man-made snow conditions</P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>====================================================================</P></BODY>
</HTML>
]]>