Ice crystals

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Ice crystals

Ice crystals are a small crystalline form of ice including hexagonal columns, hexagonal plates, dendritic crystals, and diamond dust.

Temperature and water vapor humidity determine crystalline forms. Ice crystals are responsible for various atmospheric optics displays. The principal axis (c axis) of a single crystal of ice is perpendicular to the axis of hexagonal symmetry. Planes perpendicular to this axis are called basal planes.

Ice clouds are composed of ice crystals. The most notable one is the cirrus cloud and ice fog.

Dendrytic ice crystals imaged with a scanning electron microscope. The colors are computer generated.

[edit] Geometry

Ice crystals are symmetrical and have a hexagonal pattern.

[edit] See also

• Snow

[edit] External links

• Caltech homepage
• American Meteorological Society Glossary