Ice flowers Bashny.Net

The mass appearance in the Arctic one of the most beautiful phenomena of the Arctic - the ice turned out to be caused by global color changes in the structure of the polar ice caps. Ice flowers can only grow in the fresh, thin ice.

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In the Arctic, there is an incredibly beautiful phenomenon - ice flowers. Thus scientists call crystals height of several centimeters, which are formed on the surface of a thin layer of ice. It was believed that the ice flowers are formed in several ways. One - water supersaturated with moisture from the air condenses in the form of ice crystals on the surface. Similarly, frost is formed. Another method - the salt water up the pores and ice on the surface of salt crystals grow. Professor Gray Worcester (M. Grae Worster) and his colleague Robert Style (Robert W. Style) from the Institute of Theoretical Geophysics at Cambridge University (Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, University of Cambridge, UK) found that no moisture or salt is nothing to do with . Theoretical calculations and test them in the laboratory, they concluded that the growth of the snow flowers need a thin layer of ice and a big difference between its temperature and the air - at least 20 ° C. Therefore, theoretically, ice flowers can be produced in ponds with fresh water.



How is the "bloom»
As recalled by Professor Worcester, the water is not even at the North Pole is frequently in such conditions, when it can be sublimated. That is, go into gaseous form without going through the liquid from the solid. Thanks to this, by the way, the laundry dries in the cold. And if the temperature is below -20 ° C, and the ice surface - about 0 ° C, but at windless weather at the surface of the ice layer is formed oversaturated with moisture. And the moisture in contact with cold air quenched and condenses again on the ice surface, but in the form of crystals. After a certain time on the ice crystals are deposited salt spray, so the salt content in the ice colors is approximately four times greater than that of seawater. Where, in fact, there was a "salt" theory of growth.
Unfortunately, adds Professor Worcester, ice flowers are short-lived. They can "grow" only on the surface of a thin, young ice. Indeed, as soon as the ice thickness increases, the temperature on its surface close to the air temperature and flowers simply disappear. Besides, life is supported by thick ice colors oversaturated with moisture layer. And this value is variable and does - because it is influenced by many external factors, such as wind.



Where are the hidden dangers
Professor Worcester believes that the results of their research will help predict the formation of ice flowers. And this process is a need to keep under control, according to the authors of the work. According to them, these beautiful creations of nature is not as harmless as it may seem at first glance, and even dangerous. They emit large amounts of bromine compounds, which, according to scientists, can destroy the ozone layer of our planet. However, how dangerous amounts allocated to the ozone screen, the authors say is difficult. However, it is worth considering that in the Arctic is growing year ice. And as the ice flowers formed it to young, first-year ice, it makes sense to check the threat.

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