Ice Hair
Ice hair or hair ice is a rare natural phenomenon in which a hairy, woolly ice structure is created on dead and wet heartwood (not on the bark) of deciduous trees.
Ice hair can occur if the air temperature is just below freezing. Fungi are found in the wood and during the metabolism of these fungi, water is released that is forced out through very small openings in the wood (wood beams). The water pressed out freezes to a hair-like structure. A high humidity is necessary for the successful formation of ice hair so that the water pressed out cannot evaporate and remains available for freezing. As long as the fungi continue to produce water and the climatic conditions remain favorable, ice hair can continue to grow. If the air temperature becomes too low, the fungal metabolism falls to such a low level that insufficient water is produced.
Ice hair is very delicate and melts away immediately after contact. If ice hair is exposed to sunlight, it will sublimate and disappear quickly. Ice hair can be found early in the morning or in shady places.
In the year 2015, German and Swiss scientists identified the fungus Exidiopsis effusa as key to the formation of hair ice. The fungus was found on every hair ice sample examined by the researchers, and disabling the fungus with fungicide or hot water prevented hair ice formation.The fungus shapes the ice into fine hairs through an uncertain mechanism and likely stabilizes it by providing a recrystallization inhibitor similar to antifreeze proteins.
Ice Hair
Ice hair or hair ice is a rare natural phenomenon in which a hairy, woolly ice structure is created on dead and wet heartwood (not on the bark) of deciduous trees.
Ice hair can occur if the air temperature is just below freezing. Fungi are found in the wood and during the metabolism of these fungi, water is released that is forced out through very small openings in the wood (wood beams). The water pressed out freezes to a hair-like structure. A high humidity is necessary for the successful formation of ice hair so that the water pressed out cannot evaporate and remains available for freezing. As long as the fungi continue to produce water and the climatic conditions remain favorable, ice hair can continue to grow. If the air temperature becomes too low, the fungal metabolism falls to such a low level that insufficient water is produced.
Ice hair is very delicate and melts away immediately after contact. If ice hair is exposed to sunlight, it will sublimate and disappear quickly. Ice hair can be found early in the morning or in shady places.
In the year 2015, German and Swiss scientists identified the fungus Exidiopsis effusa as key to the formation of hair ice. The fungus was found on every hair ice sample examined by the researchers, and disabling the fungus with fungicide or hot water prevented hair ice formation.The fungus shapes the ice into fine hairs through an uncertain mechanism and likely stabilizes it by providing a recrystallization inhibitor similar to antifreeze proteins.