Sintering in snow science is defined as?

• A. Snowpack Settling Under Pressure
• B. Snowflakes Form Bonds With Neighbors to Create Snowpack
• C. Snow Crystals Melting and Refreezing
• D. Snow Drifting Under Wind

Answer: (B)

Sintering in snow science is the bonding of snow grains with their neighbors to form a cohesive snowpack. This bonding occurs at grain contacts as water molecules diffuse and create necks between crystals, strengthening the layer and influencing how the snow bears load and how avalanche risk evolves. The described concept—snow crystals forming bonds with neighboring grains to build the snowpack—best captures this process. The other ideas describe different phenomena: settling or compaction changes density under pressure, melting and refreezing involve phase change, and wind-driven drift is about movement, not bonding.