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 an additional 18 plate snowflake elements forming at the apexes of its plate sectors. | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Libbrecht, Kenneth |
Bildgröße: | 4568 px × 3850 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |