Névé is a young, granular type of snow which has been partially melted, refrozen and compacted. This type of snow is associated with glacier formation. Névé that survives a full season of ablation is referred to as firn, which is both older and slightly denser. Firn becomes glacial ice - the long-lived, compacted ice that glaciers are composed of. Austrias longest glacier, the Pasterze, winds its 8 km (5 mile) route at the foot of Austrias highest mountain, the Grossglockner. ... Ablation is defined as the removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes. ... Firn is partially-compacted névé, a type of snow that has been left over from past seasons and has been recrystallized into a substance denser than névé. It is ice that is at an intermediate stage between snow and glacial ice. ...

Névé has a minimum density of 500 kg/m³.

Névé can also refer to the alpine region in which snowfall accumulates, becomes névé, and feeds a glacier.

References

http://www.physicalgeography.net/physgeoglos/n.html PhysicalGeography.net Glossary of Terms