Tiny icicles grow in electric fields 

A strong electric field forces ice crystals to grow into long, sharp needles rather than snowflake patterns.

 

References:

Libbrecht, K.G., and V.M. Tanusheva. 1998. Electrically induced morphological instabilities in free dendrite growth. Physical Review Letters 81(July 6):176.

1990. To branch or not to branch. Science News 138(July 21):47.

Lipkin, R. 1994. Viewing crystal growth on an atomic scale. Science News 146(Dec. 10):390.

Peterson, I. 1996. Freezing water droplets to novel icy peaks. Science News 149(June 1):340.

______. 1996. Campus control of crystal growth in space. Science News 149(March 16):165.

______. 1991. Snowflake growth puts on electrifying show. Science News 139(Feb. 23):118.

Stroh, M. 1992. Ice crystal growth: An electric finding. Science News 141(May 9):311.

Svishchev, I.M., and P.G. Kusalik. 1996. Electrofreezing of liquid water: A microscopic perspective. Journal of the American Chemical Society 118:649.

Wu, C. 1997. Ice’s watery surface comes into view. Science News 151(Jan. 4):4.

Sources:

Peter G. Kusalik
Dalhousie University
Department of Chemistry
Halifax, Nova Scotia B2H 4J3
Canada

Kenneth G. Libbrecht
California Institute of Technology 264-33
Norman Bridge Laboratory of Physics
Pasadena, CA 91125
Website: http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~kgl/gallery.html

Victoria M. Tanusheva
California Institute of Technology 264-33
Norman Bridge Laboratory of Physics
Pasadena, CA 91125