We
measured the velocity V
step of isolated
elementary spiral steps and the distance L
eq between adjacent equivalent spiral steps on ice basal faces by advanced
optical microscopy. We determined the step kinetic coefficient β
from V
step measured under various supersaturations.
We performed similar experiments under various temperatures T, and determined the temperature dependence of β
of ice basal faces, for the first time, in the temperature range of
−26.0 to −2.7 °C. When −6.2 ≤ T ≤ −2.7 °C, the value of β decreased
significantly with decreasing T. In contrast, when
−15.0 ≤ T ≤ −6.2 °C,
the value of β increased with decreasing T,
and had the maximum at T ≈ −15 °C.
When −26.0 ≤ T ≤ −15.0
°C, the value of β decreased monotonically with decreasing T. Such complicated temperature dependence of β strongly
implies the existence of unknown phenomena in the temperature range
examined. To obtain a clue to the complicated behavior of β,
we also measured dependence of L
eq on
surface supersaturation Δμ
surf. When −13.0 ≤ T ≤ −3.2
°C, plots of L
eq vs 1/Δμ
surf satisfactorily follow the spiral growth model. However,
when −26.0 ≤ T ≤ −15.0
°C, the L
eq vs 1/Δμ
surf plots do not follow any model: this temperature range
agrees with the temperature range in which β decreased monotonically
with decreasing T.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.