• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.454-463
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• 2009

In this study, from January 2006 to February 2009, we observed 107 ice spikes formed in a natural state, and analyzed their environment. We developed an experimental device to reproduce ice spikes in laboratory and successfully made 531 ice spikes. We analyzed the process of the formation and the principle of how those ice spikes grow through videotaped data of the formation in the experiment. In the natural world, when the surface of water and the lower part of a vessel begin to freeze, a vent (breathing hole) develops at the surface where an ice is not frozen; this vent serves as the seed of an ice spike. It is assumed that the volume expansion of ice in the vessel which occurs when water freezes makes the supercooled water go upward through the vent and becomes an ice bar called an ice spike. In the laboratory, however, when distilled water is poured into an ice tray cube and kept in the experimental device for about one and a half hours at a temperature of -12- $-13^{\circ}C$, a thin layer of ice then begins to develop on the surface of the water, the vent is formed, and ice spikes form for about 10-30 minutes. These spikes stop growing when the end becomes clogged. Ice spikes can be described as falling into seven categories of shape, with the apex type topping the list followed by the slant type in the natural state and the vertical type predominating in the laboratory.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.73-84
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• 2016

A method to make ice spike using home refrigerator with ice tray was found. Many experiments have carried out with this method and many natural phenomena occurring on the formation of ice spike are found. A new concept of the Latter Freezing Water (LFW) was imported to explain the ice spike formation. At LFW position on water surface, the Sprout of Super cooled Water (SSW) grows by the Volume Expansion Effect (VEE) caused by the phase change of water in water. And air bubbles that are expelled from ice during freezing process, gather, rise, and detonate at the upper most part of SSW that make SSW freeze and grow upward with the water pipe in it. Together with VEE the capillarity in the water pipe makes the column grow more, that makes the ice spike. Many other findings were succeeded; 1) Ice spike process is completed before the whole water freezes. 2) If water is corrupted or shocked, even though it is very slight, ice spike is not generated. 3) Rain water contains the most LFW among all kind of waters used in experiments. 4) LFW is changed into normal water after passing the ice spike. 5) A new concept of the ice bullet is introduced. 6) The reason of frequent occurrences of the ice spike at Mt. Mai is investigated also.