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arXiv · 2306.04042

A Comprehensive Model of Snow Crystal Faceting

Kenneth G. Libbrecht·James Walkling
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Abstract

Crystal faceting can emerge via two broad physical mechanisms: anisotropic attachment kinetics on growing crystals and anisotropic surface energies on near-equilibrium crystals. For the case of the ice/vapor system, anisotropic attachment kinetics is the dominant faceting mechanism, while the possible occurrence of equilibrium faceting has been debated for many decades. In this investigation we examine ice/vapor faceting at low supersaturations over the temperature range -15C -2C, thus suggesting that snow crystal faceting is caused by anisotropic attachment kinetics even at extremely slow growth rates.

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Kenneth G. Libbrecht, James Walkling. 2023-06-06. A Comprehensive Model of Snow Crystal Faceting. https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.04042

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