sastrugi

/ să-stro̅o̅′gə,sä′strə- /

Long, wavelike ridges of snow, formed by the wind and found on the polar plains. Sastrugi are usually up to several meters high and are often parallel to the prevailing wind direction.

Discover More

The effect of constant abrasion upon the snow's surface is to harden it, and, finally, to carve ridges known as sastrugi.

Thus on the 25th it was 10 A.M. before we got away in a strong wind, with flying snow, across fields of sastrugi.

The surface, too, grew worse; nothing but sastrugi eighteen inches to thirty inches high and very close together.

Sastrugi, only six inches high, seen on the 26th, showed the effects of wind-erosion exquisitely.

The country changed in a wonderful manner, the sastrugi gradually becoming smaller and finally disappearing.

Browse