Spring IR Melting: The Raspberry Cane Effect

[turbo]

Here is something that I see every spring, when the sun gets higher in the sky and the temps moderate. Notice the depressions under the raspberry canes... The sun heats up the canes, both above and below (reflection from the snow) and the canes re-radiate IR, melting the snow below them, even if the canes are quite distant from the surface of the snow. This is similar in some ways to the pits that form around tree-trunks and fence-posts in the snow, but a little more interesting, IMO. BTW, those are 4' stakes in the center, just for scale.

 

[Danger]

Neat, Turbo. It's odd that after having been up to my *** in snow for most of my life, I've never paid any attention to that. I've certainly observed it, but never given it any thought.