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arXiv · 2502.13155

A mechanism for ice growth on the surface of a spherical water droplet

Yang Li·Prachi Parashar·Iver Brevik·Clas Persson·I. Malyi·Mathias Boström
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Abstract

The formation and growth of ice particles, particularly on the surfaces of spherical water droplets, bear profound implications for localized weather systems and global climate. Herein, we develop a theoretical framework for ice nucleation on minuscule water droplets, establishing that $10\sim5000\rm\ nm$ droplets can considerably increase in volume, making a substantial contribution to ice formation within mist, fog, or even cloud systems. We reveal that the Casimir-Lifshitz (van der Waals) interaction within these systems is robust enough to stimulate both water and ice growth on the surfaces of ice-cold spherical water droplets. The significant impacts and possible detectable phenomena from the curvature are demonstrated.

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Yang Li, Prachi Parashar, Iver Brevik, Clas Persson, I. Malyi, Mathias Boström. 2025-02-14. A mechanism for ice growth on the surface of a spherical water droplet. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.13155

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