 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 Plate Crystal with Simple Extensions

   December 25, 2021

    Snow crystal 2022_0173 (003)

   Photographer:  Wilson Bentley

   Summary Author:  Jim Foster

   Shown above is a classic, hexagonal plate  snow crystal. This lovely
   crystal and hundreds of others photographed by Wilson Alwyn Bentley
   (1865-1931) are housed at the Bentley  Snow Crystal Collection in
   the  Schwerdtfeger Library, at the University of Wisconsin. Bentley
   was perhaps the first to capture these delicate crystals on prepared
   sets of glass lantern slides.

   According to the  Lee/Magano system, the crystal above is classified
   as a plate with simple extensions ( P2e). Snow crystals are
   six-sided because water molecules that form such crystals are
   characteristically  arranged in layers of hexagonal rings. This
   results in their eye-catching  six-fold symmetry.



Related EPODs

    Plate Crystal with Simple Extensions  Archive - Deep Blue Abyss
   on Godwin's Glacier  Archive - Frost Crystal Congregation
    Archive - Gurgler Glacier  April Snow in Dolly Sods, West
   Virginia  Ice Falls in Valganna, Italy
    More...

Cryosphere Links

     *  Guide to Frost
     *  What is the Cryosphere?
     *  Bentley Snow Crystals
     *  Glaciers of the World
     *  Ice, Snow, and Glaciers: The Water Cycle
     *  The National Snow and Ice Data Center Google Earth Images
     *  Snow and Ice Crystals

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   Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the  Universities
   Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu
 
