superfrost

English

Etymology

super- +‎ frost

Noun

superfrost (countable and uncountable, plural superfrosts)

1. (rare) Groundwater that is found immediately above the permafrost layer, which seasonally thaws, but is kept frozen more of the year due to the cold from the permafrost layer.
   • 1993, A. M. Galperin, Anatoliĭ Moiseevich Galʹperin, V. S. Zaytsev, Yu. A. Norvatov, Aleksandrovich Norvatov, Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology: Geotechnika - Selected Translations of Russian Geotechnical Literature 8‎^[1], Taylor & Francis, →ISBN, page 67:

     In the same category, one encompasses waters of multi-yearly superfrost talics, which exist thanks to the thermal effect of surface waters. The water of the active layer occurs on permafrost soil, which makes up the water confining basement, and propagate in lower forms of topography and on large divide areas or slopes.

   • 1998, Proceedings RMRS.‎^[2], Rocky Mountain Research Station, page 51:

     The distribution of species across the tundra may be explained by the similar humidity regime across all sites (hyperhumidity). High humidity of all types of tundra soil results from low evaporation and a high level of superfrost in tundra.

   • 2017, A.L. Goldin, Design of Earth Dams‎^[3], CRC Press, →ISBN:

     Depending on frost conditions, groundwater may be grouped in three classes: superfrost, interfrost and subfrost.

2. An exceptionally severe frost.
   • 1982, Crawford Kilian, Icequake‎^[4], Berkley Books, →ISBN, page 275:

     Unprecedented solar flares bombard the earth. The planet's magnetic field vanishes. Raging down the glacier valleys from the polar plateau, the Katabatic winds unleash Condition One: blizzard, superfrost and white outs.