Ice crystal growing under extreme conditions on Greenland Ice Sheet
Avatar

Ice crystal growing under extreme conditions on Greenland Ice Sheet

by Ole Zeising, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Bremerhaven, Germany

This close up of an about 5 cm large ice crystal was taken in a tunnel entrance that was covered by an uncountable number of crystals at the East Greenland Ice-Core Project (EastGRIP) drill site. They have grown from water vapour at the ceiling (shown here) and on the walls of the entrance at air temperatures below -20 °C. The picture shows the impressive fine ice plates and needles forming the ice crystal.