Rimed sectored plate star snowflake, light micrograph. Snowflakes are ice crystals that form in air that has a temperature near the freezing point of water. If the air is calm, then a symmetrical, hexagonal snowflake can form. The two main growth patterns observed are faceting and branching. When growth is fast and unstable, branching patterns create a dendritic snowflake. Slower growth allows the straight lines and hexagonal shapes of the sectored plate snowflake seen here, which has central star-shape elements, and is also covered in rime (small droplets of frozen water). | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Libbrecht, Kenneth |
Bildgröße: | 4016 px × 2624 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |