Devin Floyd Devin Floyd

Frostflakes

After an evening of 5-10

degree temperatures and following some heavy snow, the valleys in the SW VA Blue Ridge had a magnificent frosting event. The crystals of frost grew large and heaved themselves into upright positions. I found these on top of my car.

Immediately I was struck

by how

some of the frost growth presented itself as perfect crystals...identical to individual snowflakes.

There was one significant difference...size. These "frost flakes" were twice the size of the

snowflakes I witnessed

a couple of weeks ago. I estimate the frost to be between 1/4" -1/2" in total crystal width. The snowflakes were tiny...always less than 1/4" wide.

And so, I am left with questions:

  • Why is there such a similarity in crystal structure and appearance and yet a difference in size?

  • Were these frost crystals permitted a greater amount of time for growth (and thus grew larger)?

  • Could they have grown at a slower rate under sustained conditions?

  • Given that water is a mineral, is it likely that its crystal growth behaves similarly to that of other minerals like sugar, salt, emerald, quartz, pyrite, to name a few?

  • What are the conditions for optimal water crystal growth anyway??

By the way, for you rockhounds out there: Water is technically a mineral, and rocks are defined as being a mixture of minerals. So, if one were to accidentally scoop up a little sand, silt, or other mineral while creating a snowball (inevitable), presto! Yes, technically, snowballs are rocks, and a local geologist agreed with this logic ...the same can be said for glaciers and muddy rivers. I suspect a distinction can be made with relationships between particles however. Rocks usually contain fused minerals, rather than suspended. But, if this distinction does not play a role in defining rocks, the comparison still stands (and awaits the onslaught of more knowledgable folk). So the next time you get hit in the head with a snowball, and it feels like a rock...well, it probably is.

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Devin Floyd Devin Floyd

Catching Snowflakes

Tools:

We laid black pieces of construction paper on a bench during yesterday's snow. We left them in the frigid air for two hours prior to beginning. The images were captured with a point-and-shoot camera

(Cannon Powershot SX110-IS)

on its wonderful macro setting. The temperature at the time of taking these photographs ranged between 14-18 degrees Fahrenheit...which is the key to sharp and clear crystals.

Patience:

It took about two hours of searching to find these crystals, as the majority that we observed were in layers and clumps. Occasionally, all falling snow would shift over to being just needles. The sharply defined singular crystals were very hard to see...they were very thin and transparent, and required looking at an angle to catch reflecting light.

Next time:

I really wish we could have gotten sharper images,... we pushed the limits of our point-and-shoot camera, that's for certain. Next time, maybe we'll have a dissecting microscope with a camera!

Share your images:

We would love to see any images you might have taken as well!

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BRDC, Admin BRDC, Admin

Snow, act one

Awakening to nearly ten inches of new snow, the dogs and I headed out to explore the strangely transformed landscape. After reaching the bottom of the south hill, we looked up to view our house before entering the woods. The dogs had begun an arduous walk, nearly burrowing themselves with every step.

After rousing five does from their protection beneath the pine boughs, we quietly edged our way to the creek's edge. What is always most exciting to me is the creek's changes through the seasons, and always its steady beauty.

It was not quite cold enough for ice formations along the creek, such as I have seen on other days. I captured a few small ice events, however.

I pondered the issue of snow's weight on the plants around me, realizing that maintaining leaves through the winter could have a negative effect on the limbs and branches. Perhaps this would be another adaptation for some plants, to lose their leaves entirely.

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