365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Hair Ice
Day 102: Hair ice (aka haareis or frost-beard) occurs only under certain conditions, all of which I felt sure were present this morning, and I was not disappointed. This unusual and beautiful ice formation is most likely to be found in northern broadleaf forests. Although temperature and humidity play major roles in its development, the most crucial element is a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa which provides the "scaffold" on which the ice crystals form. The fungus' role is not completely understood, but it has been suggested that it may provide a natural antifreeze which stabilizes the formation of ice crystals. The ice "hairs" form at the openings of medullary rays (a cellular structure formed in active cambium, perpendicular to the growth rings of the plant) and may attain lengths up to eight inches.
Labels:
Big Bridge,
Exidiopsis effusa,
haareis,
Hair ice
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