  We investigate the impact of the oxidizing character of the nitric medium on
the evolution of the intergranular corrosion of a stainless steel. In two
different oxidizing conditions ("severe" and "soft"), the corroded surface of
the steel reaches a different steady state: the oxide is thicker, the
intergranular grooves are thinner and the surface area is larger in the
"severe" conditions than in the "soft" ones. Then we investigate the effect of
an alternative "severe then soft" corrosion sequence. We show that the system
re-adapts to the "soft" conditions without memory effect from the previous
"severe" ones. bstra
