Physicists are a bit like lyrics: how to make the most beautiful snowflake?
December 30, 2017 | 11:58 |1347
Kenneth G. Libbrecht, Professor of Physics of the California Institute of Technology was puzzled with the creation of the biggest snowflake. He “grows” snow beauties in his laboratory for many years. As the result of his laborious, almost jeweler work with the use of coolers and temperature controllers, blue symmetrical crystals, 1.2 cm in size, were successfully created. But this is not enough for Libbrecht. In his opinion, he can make ice multibeam asterisks up to 2.5 cm in size, and there are no physical laws preventing the formation of snowflakes of such size. But the slightest change in external conditions can transform the ideal structure of the snow “diamond” into a petrified plate.Aijahan ATABALLYEVA
Speaking of his predilection, Libbrecht admitted that he was inspired to these studies by the large snowflakes that he had seen in his hometown of Fargo, in the state of North Dakota.
Swedish scientists, specialists of the new snow academy at the Technological University in the city of Lulea, recently managed to discover a previously unknown form of snowflakes. This became possible with the help of an X-ray study that made it possible to see unusual crystals.
What did the researchers see? A snowflake is similar to an asterisk, but not in the form of a plate, but with a small slightly elongated cavity.
