What are these ice droplets called?

January 3, 2015 10:59 AM

Does this kind of ice formation have a name? All the rocks along the sides of a fast moving stream we visited were ringed by these small ice droplets.
posted by steveminutillo to Science & Nature (3 answers total)

I do not know of any specific name.
It seems like they are formed by wave action and/or slowly falling water levels.

Here is a glossary of "lake" ice.
Here is a Glossary of Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Terms.
Here is a listing of Innuit and science terms for ice.

These might give you some other clues to search for. Beautiful picture by the way!
posted by tronec at 3:03 PM on January 3, 2015

Its rime. The moving water can be super cooled or a little below freezing and still liquid. Once it slows or touches a solid object it freezes instantly. What you're seeing is caused by water freezing in the eddy behind the rock and from touching the rock itself. Then more water hits the ice and freezes and it builds up like that. There are probably some time lapse videos you can find on line if you look for rime.
posted by fshgrl at 4:54 PM on January 3, 2015

That is SO pretty! I never knew what rime ice is and now I do - thank you.
posted by aryma at 5:57 PM on January 3, 2015