The Search for Ice 0 in the Earth’s Atmosphere

In the last decade, it has been shown that in most cases atmospheric ice consists of a mixture of ices Ih and Ic; this is called ice with stacking disorder, or stacking disordered ice (Isd). In addition, the existence of another crystalline modification of ice, called ice 0, has became known. Ice 0 is a transitional form from deeply supercooled water to Ih and Ic ices, which form at temperatures below –23°C (at low pressures). For this reason, the question arose about the possibility of forming ice 0 in the structure of ice Isd. To clarify the issue, laboratory experiments were carried out to obtain layers of ice 0 on the surface of ice Ih, as well as dielectric measurements of the material of atmospheric ice from fallen hail. The results confirmed the possibility of forming ice 0 in the structure of stacking disordered ice Isd. One special property of such a structure is the appearance of contact layers with high conductivity, which significantly changes the electrophysical characteristics of ice particles. For example, in particles of small sizes, resonances of plasmon oscillations arise, which affect the transfer of electromagnetic radiation in cloud formations. The study of electromagnetic properties of small ice particles containing ice 0 and their features in various areas of the atmosphere will make it possible to solve a number of important tasks. These include refining the radiation balance of the Earth’s surface, thunderstorm phenomena, radiation transfer in cloud formations, and physicochemical processes in aerosols and snow covers.