. Earth Science News .
WATER WORLD
Answering a longstanding question: Why is the surface of ice wet?
by Staff Writers
Sapporo, Japan (SPX) Nov 22, 2016


At the start (0.00 seconds), the surface of the ice is completely covered by the QLL. After six seconds, the layer has turned into droplets (Scale bar: 10 um). Image courtesy Murata K. et al., PNAS, October 17, 2016. For a larger version of this image please go here.

A team of Hokkaido University scientists has unraveled a 150-year-old mystery surrounding the surface melting of ice crystals in subzero environments by using an advanced optical microscope.

"Ice is wet on its surface": Since this phenomenon, called surface melting, was mentioned by British scientist Michael Faraday more than 150 years ago, the question of why water on the surface of ice does not freeze in a subzero environment remained unanswered.

In their search for the underlying mechanism behind surface melting, the team used a special optical microscope jointly developed with Olympus Corp. to observe how thin water layers, or quasi-liquid layers (QLLs), are born and disappear at various temperatures and vapor pressure levels.

According to the researchers' findings, thin water layers do not homogeneously and completely wet the surface of ice--a discovery that runs contrary to conventional wisdom. QLLs, therefore, are not able to stably exist at equilibrium, and thus vaporize.

Furthermore, the team discovered that QLLs form only when the surface of ice is growing or sublimating, under supersaturated or unsaturated vapor conditions. This finding strongly suggests that QLLs are a metastable transient state formed through vapor growth and sublimation of ice, but are absent at equilibrium.

"Our results contradict the conventional understanding that supports QLL formation at equilibrium," says Ken-ichiro Murata, the study's lead author at Hokkaido University.

"However, comparing the energy states between wet surfaces and dry surfaces, it is a corollary consequence that QLLs cannot be maintained at equilibrium. Surface melting plays important roles in various phenomena such as the lubrication on ice, formation of an ozone hole, and generation of electricity in thunderclouds, of which our findings may contribute towards the understanding."

The research is likely to provide a universal framework for understanding surface melting on other crystalline surfaces, too.

Research Report


Comment on this article using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Hokkaido University
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics






Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
WATER WORLD
Study finds less gloomy outlook for subtropical rainfall
Miami FL (SPX) Nov 17, 2016
A new study found that rainfall over land in the subtropics - including in the southeastern U.S. - will not decline as much as it does over oceans in response to increased greenhouse gases. The study challenges our previous understanding of the drying that will occur in subtropical regions and suggests its impact on people living in these regions could be less severe than initially thought. ... read more


WATER WORLD
How to stop human-made droughts and floods before they start

After bloody year, Chicago looks to tougher gun laws

Tech would use drones and insect biobots to map disaster areas

New Zealand navy ships 'shellshocked' quake tourists to safety

WATER WORLD
Malawi could help secure raw materials for green technologies

Ice is no match for CSU-developed coating

Beautiful accident leads to advances in high pressure materials synthesis

2-D material a brittle surprise

WATER WORLD
Unraveling the mysterious source of methane gas in the ocean

Kelp forests globally resilient, but may need local solutions to environmental threats

Study finds less gloomy outlook for subtropical rainfall

Underwater video reveals culprits behind disappearance of NSW kelp forests

WATER WORLD
Probing Greenland's ice sheet for future satellites

Extremely Warm 2015-'16 Winter Cyclone Weakened Arctic Sea Ice Pack

Scientists prepare to find oldest ice on Earth

Iceberg patrol gains faster updates from orbit

WATER WORLD
DNA study unravels the history of the world's most produced cereal

Precut salad promotes salmonella growth: Study

Cutting food waste saves money for French supermarkets

Another species of Varroa mite threatens European honeybees

WATER WORLD
Seismologists warn of more quakes in New Zealand

Relieved tourists escape New Zealand quake town

Tears and beers as tourists recount NZ quake 'pandemonium'

Two dead after NZ quake, residents flee tsunami

WATER WORLD
US seeks UN arms embargo against South Sudan

Uganda nabs suspect in $120 mn fake arms deal

Africa waits and wonders on Trump's foreign policy

Mali coup leader readies for trial over massacre

WATER WORLD
Genes for speech may not be limited to humans

Traumatic stress shapes the brains of boys and girls in different ways

Neanderthal inheritance helped humans adapt to life outside of Africa

Evolution purged many Neanderthal genes from human genome









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.