Tag Archives: Ice camp

Shining their own light

Whether in solid or liquid or gaseous form, matter can convert radiative energy by the absorption process or it can transmit it with the possibility of a change in direction through the scattering process. When added up, these optical properties can tell you a lot about what a medium is made of.  Continue reading Shining their own light

Rapid, dramatic changes of surface sea ice

Credit: Gauthier Verin

During the Arctic winter, a snow-pack forms over the sea ice. Typically 20-30 cm deep, it is thin relative to the thickness of the ice below. However, this snow layer plays a fundamental role in different domains. Snow is composed of small ice crystals surrounded by air. This very simple structure leads to two important physical properties: Continue reading Rapid, dramatic changes of surface sea ice