Ice in the freezer. Experiments with ice Ice freezing time in the freezer

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Winter walks, including snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing (with or without a car), skiing, ice skating, and playing on ice can be dangerous if you cannot determine if the ice is strong enough to withstand load. Exist various ways in order to assess the potential reliability of the ice cover - you can observe the color of the ice and examine its thickness, as well as pay attention to external factors, such as temperature, local conditions and features. However, it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk during sporting events. When in doubt, don't go out on the ice; and even more so, you should not do it unseasonably early or too late.

Steps

    Keep in mind that ice is never completely safe. Weather conditions and subtle or unknown factors can suddenly turn seemingly reliable ice into deadly. Take all possible precautions to prevent accidents and make sure that rescue measures can be taken immediately if something goes wrong.

    Develop an emergency rescue plan. Let your friends know where you are going. In case something unforeseen happens while you are exploring the ice conditions or having fun, you should have a course of action in place that will allow you to get to a safe place where you can get help immediately.

    • Tip for beginners: according to the season, you should be very warmly dressed. Do not neglect water rescue equipment, at least a life jacket, especially if you are testing the ice for strength or going on a snowmobile trip. Keep an ice ax with you, which can help you get out if you get into a hole. Never go on a trip alone, take one or two friends with you. Let people know where you and your friends are and when you expect to return home. This is not the case when you can be carefree and act spontaneously.
    • Carry a spare set of warm dry clothes in a waterproof duffel bag. This will help you reduce the risk of hypothermia by changing your wet clothes immediately. Other useful items in a rescue kit are a blanket, hand and foot warmers, thick socks, extra wool caps, candles, and matches. Get all these things ready for any winter sports like ice skating. See the "Things You'll Need" section for more details.
  1. Understand that the strength of ice is determined by a number of factors, not just one. Its reliability can be judged by evaluating the combination of the following indicators:

    • The appearance of ice - its color, structure and features
    • Ice thickness - for certain types of activities, the recommended thickness is determined, which can be read below
    • Temperature maximum during a certain time and during the day
    • snow cover
    • Depth of water under the ice
    • Pond Size
    • The chemical composition of water - salty or fresh
    • Weather changes in the area
    • Ice cover length
  2. Choose places where the ice is regularly tested for strength by the relevant authorities. Such services may exist at resorts, clubs, national parks or within government agencies. They should take measurements at least daily. Ask the employees of these services about the results of the check, this way you will protect yourself. They usually use quality measuring instruments and have access to research, they also know a lot about ice and are well prepared for emergency situations. You will save yourself from risky tests of the ice surface for strength and will feel more confident. However, this does not mean that precautions can be forgotten.

    Chat with the locals. If you are a visitor, you should not show any arrogance. Go to a grocery store, fish store or sports equipment store and strike up a conversation, stop by the police station or the fire station and ask about dangerous and safe places in the area. Let them help you now rather than bail you out later.

  3. Examine the ice. Look closely for any cracks, breaks, suspicious spots, or uneven surfaces, and determine its color(s). You can only rely on your own vision . This quick look will help you decide whether to continue your research.

    • If you have any of the following signs, you'd better refrain from any further attempts to enter the ice:
      • Water melting the ice edge or near it
      • Keys gushing under the ice in spring-fed ponds and lakes.
      • The presence of a source or tributary near an ice-covered body of water
      • Cracks, faults or polynyas
      • Ice that appears to have melted and then froze again
      • Rough surfaces that you haven't noticed before, such as bulging ice ridges caused by currents or winds
    • Remember this song: "Thick and blue, proven and reliable; thin and fragile - the path is too risky."
  4. You need to understand the meaning of a particular color of ice. But although this is very useful indicator don't rely on color alone. For example, ice of any color that is exposed to flowing water from below will be more brittle than ice that is not. Usually, according to the color spectrum of ice, you can draw the following conclusions:

    • Light gray to black - melted ice that sometimes forms even when the air temperature is below 32°F (0°C). Unsafe: due to insufficient density, it cannot withstand the load - stay away.
    • From white to dull, opaque, water-soaked snow freezes on top of the ice, forming another thin layer of ice on top. Such ice is too porous, there may be air pockets inside it, so it is often brittle.
    • From blue to transparent - ice of high density, very strong, the safest, if, of course, it is thick enough. Don't risk it if it's less than 4 inches (10 cm) thick.
    • Motley and loose ice, also called "rotten" - not so much because of its color, but because of its structure. This is melted ice. It is treacherously deceptive - it may very well be that it has melted in the middle or from below, although it seems thick from above. It is most common in the spring and may have a brownish tinge due to plant pigments, mud and others natural materials rising to the surface during a thaw. You don't take a single step.
  5. Check ice thickness. If you have already completed the inspection and everything seems to be in order, you need to verify this by examining the thickness of the ice.

    • Conduct research in the presence of at least one comrade (system of mutual assistance). Put on a rescue suit or other survival gear and use ropes so that your friend can pull you out if necessary.
    • Get on the ice only if the ice edge is strong enough. If it is loose or cracked, for your own safety, it is not worth continuing, because the coastal ice edge is the most fragile.
    • To measure the thickness of the ice, make a small hole with a hatchet or use a hand drill.
    • Explore the metrics safe thickness ice. There are recommended criteria that you need to keep in mind for any action you take on the ice. (Keep in mind that following them recommended, but by itself does not guarantee your safety.) Ice becomes "safe" at a thickness of approximately 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm). Don't even think about going out on ice that's 3 inches (7.5 cm) thick or less. However, even with a thickness of 9 - 10 inches (22.5 - 25 cm), the ice can harbor hidden threats, such as a rushing current that relentlessly undermines the ice from below. In this case, even thick ice can crack at any moment.
    • IN normal conditions, the rules for safe ice thickness are as follows:
      • 3 inches (7 cm) (young ice) - "STAY OUT
      • 4" (10 cm) - suitable for ice fishing, skiing and hiking (supports approximately 200 pounds (80 kg))
      • 5 in. (12 cm) - Suitable for solo snowmobiles and snowmobiles (supports approximately 800 pounds (320 kg))
      • 8 - 12 inches (20 - 30 cm) - can support a single car or a group of people (approximately 1500 - 2000 pounds (600-800kg))
      • 12 - 15 inches (30 - 38 cm) - supports the weight of a light pickup truck or van
    • These rules are generally accepted.
  6. Keep in mind that ice thickness is not the same everywhere, even on the same body of water. The reliability of the ice cover is determined not only by color and thickness, but also by a number of other indicators. Consider also:

    • The nature of the body of water: is it a pond, lake or river, and is there a noticeable current under the ice? Does the reservoir have tributaries or a source? This may be cause for concern.
    • The composition of water: is it salty or fresh? Sea ice is usually less durable and, given the same thickness, may not support the same weight as freshwater ice. For more detailed information for exact criteria see external links below.
    • Temperature maximum and time of the year: the temperature is constantly changing. Consider the microclimate in the area. Winter ice is much stronger than spring ice, the latter quickly melts and thins under the sun's rays.
    • Size and depth of the water body: Large bodies of water take much longer to freeze over than smaller ones.
    • Presence of snow cover: snow is a natural heat insulator; under the snow, the ice is usually thinner and less durable.
    • Weight: How much pressure do you put on the ice? Should it only support you, or should it also support your vehicle? Human body and a snowmobile with the same body on it have very different weight distribution parameters.
  7. If you have even the slightest doubt, find an alternative. Ice skating enthusiasts can always use the ice rink or the controlled part of the lake; skiers and snowmobile drivers may be advised to stick to land roads; Pedestrians are also better off avoiding the ice. In any case, they all need to have a rescue kit with them, no matter where they are going to go and how long they are going to be on the road.

    Hints

    • Remember that well-trodden ice roads and crossings do not make the ice stronger. Routes should be changed regularly.
    • If you NEED to cross a pond on ice, The best way for this - get down on all fours and move, spreading your arms and legs wide. Try to move like a lizard, evenly distributing your body weight. Take a long board or pole with you - great idea. If the ice starts to crack—and you sometimes get repeated warnings—put the pole on the ice and use it to distribute your weight over a larger area.
    • When traveling, treat other people responsibly. If you are the leader (at a school or sports camp, etc.), make sure that your wards do not leave the territory you have defined and immediately return them back. Make sure enough warning signs are installed so that skaters, etc., cannot make a fatal mistake and go beyond the limits. safe zone. It is also necessary that a person trained in providing first aid be present nearby. medical care man with rescue kit.
    • Dog sledding on ice is a bit safer because dogs can feel the cracks forming. Still, don't take anything risky and be just as prepared for accidents as you are with other winter sports.
    • If you must skate on thin ice (literally), make sure the water is shallow (ie 2 to 3 feet). If you fail, you will be wet and cold, but you will be able to get ashore, despite the discomfort. Of course, this is unacceptable for children.
    • It is safer to cross unreliable ice together different sides canoe pushed on ice. Don't forget the oars. You may need them on the leads.

    Warnings

    • This article is for residents of countries with cold climates such as Canada, the northern United States, and Russia. If your country or area does not have the usual winter conditions, keep in mind that ice will be unsafe at any time of the year and do not even think about doing any of the above without the advice of professionals, best of all local government agencies authorized to give such recommendations.
    • Never drink alcohol while doing winter sports - wait until you get back to your accommodation or country house. Alcohol can cause errors in snowmobile control, increase reaction time, and impair your ability to act quickly in an emergency. Alcohol does not help fight the cold; in fact, it increases heat transfer and can lead to hypothermia.
    • Never ride on ice unless it has been professionally tested and found to be safe. But even if this condition is met, drivers sometimes fall through the ice. If you must drive, be on the lookout - don't drive, roll down your windows (turn up the heater if it makes you uncomfortable) and unfasten your seat belts.
      • Make sure you know how to get out of a sinking car and have discussed rescue procedures with all passengers.
      • Drive slowly over the ice, especially when approaching the shore. Why? The weight of the machine—whether it's a snowmobile, a car, or a truck—presses down on the ice from above. As you advance, this causes a small but sensitive waveform that spreads across the ice in front of you. This wave can bounce off the shore as you approach. Depending on your weight and speed, this circumstance can cause an ice break.
      • Do not take children on ice road trips unless there is no other way to provide the necessary assistance. emergency care. You won't have time to think about them when you get out of a sinking car.
    • Snowmobile drivers should not drive at high speeds - if they can't see what's ahead, they're more likely to hit a hole because they won't be able to stop in time. In addition, on slippery ice it may be simply impossible to abruptly bypass a polynya that has suddenly appeared. More likely to get into a skid, as a result of which you just fall into the water. Better stay on the beach.
    • Never skate, play, or travel on ice, on foot, skis, or in a snowmobile, at night. You won't be able to see anything if misfortune happens and most likely you won't get help.
    • Don't think that a sudden cold snap makes the ice safer. In fact, in this case, the ice becomes brittle and brittle even faster than during a brief thaw. Always check.
    • The fact that the ice seems safe in the area you surveyed does not mean that it will be so somewhere else in the same reservoir. If you are going to go outside the area you have explored, you must again check or define the boundaries of the security zone.
    • When driving on a ski run or snowmobile road, do not use ice-covered streams, rivers, ponds, or lakes as shortcuts unless recognized as such by local authorities and checked daily. People often tend to take short cuts at the end of the day when the athletes are tired and want to get home as soon as possible and it's getting dark; Predominantly accidents happen at this time, simply because you are tired. In addition, the influence of daytime heat is felt towards the end of the day, when the ice becomes the least durable.

When does the lake freeze?

On average, the freezing of Lake Baikal begins on December 21 and ends on January 16, that is, it takes about a month for complete freezing. First of all, at the end of October, the bays are covered with ice. However, there are large fluctuations in the timing of the freezing of Lake Baikal over the years. There are known cases of freezing of the lake in Listvennichnoye, for example, in early February (1899, 1932, 1952, 1955, 1959). With early freezing, the thickness of the ice is usually greater, respectively, the opening of the lake begins later. It also takes about a month or more from the beginning of the destruction of the ice cover in the southern basin, which occurs in April, to the complete cleansing of the entire reservoir in May-June. The northern part of Lake Baikal freezes a month earlier and opens up the same amount later

Does the whole Baikal freeze over?

Baikal freezes entirely, except for a small, 10-15 km long section located at the source of the Angara. This area does not freeze because water masses are drawn into the Angara from Baikal not only from its surface, but from a certain depth (up to 50 m or more), at which the water temperature is always above the freezing point (i.e. above 0 ° C ). Therefore, at the source of the Angara, even in the most severe frosts, the water temperature is several tenths of a degree above zero. It takes some time for it to be well mixed by the current of the river and cool down to 0 °C. During this time, water masses, remaining non-freezing, have time to float downstream of the Angara to a distance of 15-20 km. In the southern part Baikal is covered with ice for 4-4.5 months, in the northern part - 6-6.5 months.

What were the periods of freezing and opening at Baikal 100 years ago and what are they at the present time?

FROM mid-nineteenth in. the freezing of Lake Baikal comes later, and the opening earlier. The duration of the ice cover is decreasing. If in 1869 in the area with. Kultuk Baikal froze, according to the observations of B. I. Dybovsky, on January 6, in 1870 - on January 2, and in 1877 - on December 14; opened in 1869 - May 8, in 1870 - May 13-15, in 1879 - May 26, then over the past decades, the deadlines for freezing the lake were observed on February 6 (with an average date of January 9), and the deadlines for opening - April 17 (with an average date of May 4).

What is the rate of ice growth in Baikal when it freezes?

It depends on the air temperature and weather conditions. In the first 3-4 days, in calm weather and air temperature below -20 °C, ice grows by 4-5 cm per day. The rate of ice formation is significantly affected by snow cover.

How are waves and ice formation related?

Excitement plays a dual role: on the one hand, it prevents the formation of an ice cover, and on the other hand, it accelerates the cooling of water, creates conditions for its intensive mixing, the formation of in-water and bottom ice.

What is greatest thickness ice?

If ice on Baikal is formed when the free water surface freezes in snowless and little snowy winters, then it is transparent and its thickness reaches 100-110 cm. in large numbers snow ice thickness is less: 65-70 cm in the southern amount of snow ice thickness is less: 65-70 cm in southern regions and 90-100 cm in the northern ones. In hummocky places, where ice piles up, its thickness is 150-200 cm or more.

How does snow cover affect ice thickness?

According to the observations of B. I. Dybovsky and V. Godlevsky, in the winter of 1869-1870. the ratio was as follows: with a snow cover thickness of 0 cm, the ice thickness was 1 m; 1-10 cm - 86 cm; at 11-20 cm - 80 cm; at 21-40 cm -77 cm; at 41-60 cm - 60 cm; at 61-80 cm - 58 cm. It is important to know this, in particular, for motorists when traveling around Baikal, as well as for fishermen.

What is inland ice and how is it formed?

Water ice is ice crystals that form in supercooled water. Water is supercooled in the zone of contact with cold air during wind waves or fast flow and mixing on rifts. In this case, particles of supercooled water are drawn into the thickness or to the bottom of the river before they have time to turn into ice. The crystallization process is completed in them already in the water. The ice formed in this way gradually floats up and forms a sludge.

How is bottom ice formed?

At very low temperatures air and with intensive mixing of water in the lake. The ice shell at the bottom covers not only stones, but also mooring piles, fishing nets, algae, etc. As the ice crust thickens, it floats to the surface, sometimes along with small objects, pebbles, sand, etc. Here, its individual pieces freeze, sludge is formed, and gradually ice floes different sizes. The latter form first ice fields and, finally, a continuous ice cover. The forms of bottom ice crystals are very diverse, just like snowflakes in the air, but they have smoother edges. A careful study of bottom ice revealed that it is a loose spongy mass consisting of short, thinnest ice plates of hexagonal crystals ranging in size from fractions of a millimeter to 1 cm in diameter.

What would happen if the ice did not float in the water, but sank?

If the ice were to sink, then all the reservoirs of temperate and high latitudes on Earth would be filled with it from the surface to the very bottom. The sun could not melt this mass, it would melt only a thin surface layer. The planet would be perpetually cold and uninhabitable.

What happens when snow falls on the water surface in a lake?

When the snow falls on the water, the temperature of which is close to freezing, it breaks down during waves into ridges 0.5 m thick. When the water temperature drops to the freezing point, wet snow and water stick together and form cloudy, opaque ice.

What is sokui?

Ice splashes on frozen rocks and stones formed when the lake freezes. Sokui have the most diverse, sometimes bizarre form of frozen streams, stalactites. The thickness of ice in sokuyas can reach several tens of centimeters. During a strong storm, windward rocks and stones can be completely covered with splash ice, up to a dozen or more meters in height. The abundance of juices and splashes on the shore makes it almost impregnable for small ships. The growth of sokuev is promoted by the ice-rustle thrown out by the waves. The rustle also forms sokui, splashes, pancake ice and kolobovnik, and sometimes ice shafts. On the windward sides of the rocks, the height of the sokui can reach 20-30 m. Especially often the rocks on Cape Kobylya Golova in the Small Sea and on Olkhon, north of the Uzur Pad, are covered with such an ice shell.

What is a rustle?

Rustle on Baikal is called intra-water granular ice. It appears later than such surface forms of ice as zaberegi, lard, sludge, bottle. Rustle crystals are needle-shaped, lentil-shaped, bean-shaped, pea-shaped in size from 1-2 to 10-20 mm in diameter.

What is lard?

Flat, thin ice crystals that have not yet frozen into a solid crust. They form on a calm surface of the water and are the first sign of its cooling below 0°C. The timing of fat formation is determined by the thermal reserve of water. The shallower and more isolated the area from the central part of the lake, the faster the water gives off heat and the earlier these ice phenomena begin here. In calm weather, usually at night, the crystals freeze into thin crusts. Under the influence of currents and waves, the resulting crusts of frozen fat break, are partially drawn into the water column and form loose whitish lumps - sludge.

What is a kolobovnik?

This is a rounded form of pancake ice, which is formed when the lake freezes and its ice edge is destroyed by waves. Usually the fragments of ice floes have a rounded shape, muddy color, often thickened edges. After freezing, large fields of frozen kolobovnik cause a lot of trouble for motorists and even pedestrians. Riding motorcycles on such an ice sheet is a real torment. Meanwhile, fishermen, hunters, and scientists have to ride motorcycles a lot during winter research.

What is ice splashes, splash icing?

They appear on steep and sheer cliffs, as well as on the sides and decks of ships, their rigging and pose a great danger to ships.

Long-term impact of snow on various objects - trees, stones, ice, engineering structures. Snow, swept up by snow, grinds stones, polishes ice. In those places where snow corrosion occurs annually, tree trunks are bare on the windward side, have no branches, and their crowns acquire a flag-like shape. Snow corrosion is very clearly visible on the windward parts of tree trunks on the western coast of Baikal and at the upper boundary of the distribution. woody plants on mountain slopes.

What is the thickness of the snow cover on Lake Baikal?

Due to the frequently repeated strong winds it is distributed very unevenly. Along the western coast, the ice cover is almost snowless; only isolated islands of sastrugi are visible in areas of hummocky fields. As you move towards the eastern coast, the thickness of the snow cover increases and can reach 80-100 cm.

Why is there almost no puddles (slush) on the ice of Lake Baikal when snow melts?

Puddles on the surface of the ice sheet form until the ice crystallizes. In spring, cracks appear in it, through which such water escapes into the under-ice space. When all the ice turns into crystalline - needle-shaped, it makes noise - it makes a rustle. Moving on such ice is very dangerous even for pedestrians.

What is the greenhouse effect and what is its role in Baikal?

The term "greenhouse effect" refers to a physical phenomenon based on the property of pure clear ice transmit the visible part of the light and delay long-wave radiation reflected from the bottom or other particles under the ice cover.

The greenhouse effect is especially noticeable under the ice crust that forms on the ice surface when snow melts. Snow melts under it much faster, because it plays the same role as glass on greenhouses. This is clearly manifested on whitish ice. Turbid whitish ice retains and absorbs radiant thermal energy only in the upper thin layer, collapsing into grains and plates gradually, layer by layer. At the same time, most of the plates are located obliquely, like a greenhouse frame: their lower edge is turned to the north, and the raised part of the visor is turned to the south. The angle of inclination roughly corresponds to the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. The formation of such visors, which create an uneven surface of ice, is called a “check”. With prolonged thawing of ice under the visors ice crusts depressions up to 10-15 cm are formed.

What is sublimation?

Evaporation of snow winter time. In the conditions of the Baikal and Transbaikal regions, where there is little snow in winter, and the dryness of the air and the intensity of solar radiation are high, the falling snow quickly evaporates. Therefore, on Olkhon, for example, as well as along the western shore of Lake Baikal, cattle are grazed all year round. Similar is observed in Transbaikalia and in Mongolia.

When does the greatest evaporation of water occur on Baikal?

It is most intense in winter, when the frosts are the strongest, but the lake is still free of ice cover. In general, winter evaporation exceeds summer evaporation by 2-3 times.

According to A. N. Afanasiev, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, 10.33 km3, or about 14.6% of the total water flow from Baikal through the Angara, evaporates from the surface of Baikal per year.

Were there icebergs on Baikal?

Probably, there were, since at the bottom of Baikal there are remains of the terminal moraines of glaciers descending into the lake. In the Ayaya and Frolikha bays, they are located at a depth of 40-50 m or more.

What are slits?

This expansion joints in ice cover. When the air temperature fluctuates, the ice expands or contracts, forming cracks or hummocks. Stanovoye cracks appear after the freezing of the lake and are through cracks in the ice. In different years, their location is relatively constant: they usually stretch along the coast along the shortest straight line between its neighboring ledges, dividing the ice cover into ice fields up to 10-30 km in diameter. The linear expansion or contraction of ice with a change in its temperature by 1 °C is 70 mm per 1 km of ice. Fluctuations in air temperature sometimes reach 20-30 ° C per day. Thus, with the width of Lake Baikal in the area of ​​Listvennichnoye - Tankhoy of 40 km and a temperature difference of only 10 ° C, the total width of the slots is 28 m. But since the ice is covered with snow unevenly, and, consequently, the cooling or heating of individual ice fields is also uneven, then the cracks form a very complex and highly branched network of various lengths: from tens to hundreds or more meters. Slits live or breathe, that is, their width changes during the day. The largest width of the gaps in one place is about 4 m. But most often they are from 0.5 to 1.2 m wide. cracks.

What are hummocks?

A heap of ice fragments along the backbone cracks or through cracks. With an increase in temperature and narrowing of the cracks, the ice is squeezed out to the surface and creates hummocks. Since the expansion and contraction is repeated, the hummocks along the crack form a pronounced ice bar. The height of hummocks is usually relatively small - up to 1-1.5 m. But sometimes they can reach 10-12 m. The time of formation of hummocks is determined by the thickness of the ice floes from which they are formed. From thin ice floes, hummocks form at the beginning of freeze-up, and from thick ones, usually in the spring, when the daily air temperature drops increase and the ice begins to warm up with the spring rays of the sun.

How are ice surges formed?

Most often in the spring, when, when the surface layers of ice and snow thaw, the melted water first fills dry temperature cracks, and then freezes in them. Cracks cease to play the role of temperature compensators, the ice becomes a monolithic mass, and its surface becomes rougher when it melts. In the second half of winter (since February) and in spring, winds intensify on Baikal. At this time, the movement of ice, further enhanced by the wind, sets in motion large ice fields. In places where there is resistance, or there is an obstacle (fast ice, engineering structures, etc.), there is a heap of a moving mass of ice - an overthrust. Thrusts that occur when a lake freezes are made of thinner ice and smaller scales. They usually do not pose such a serious danger to engineering structures as spring overthrusts.

Why is there no ice thrust in winter?

More stable in winter negative temperature, without sharp and long-term drops, the ice is stronger. Temperature fluctuations and the resulting expansion or contraction of the ice are compensated by cracks in the ice and backing cracks.

What are the scale and thickness of thrusts?

Ice can be squeezed ashore at a distance of up to 20-30 m, and its heaps, when meeting with a reliable obstacle - a rock, for example, can rise by 15-16 m. 30 m. In 1933, such ice pressure blocked the railway track near the station. Tankhoi and pushed a freight train with a steam locomotive off the rails. In the spring of 1960 at the shipyard. Eat. Yaroslavsky icebreaker "Angara" with a displacement of 1400 tons was forced out by ice on the coastal shallows.

In the same year in the village In Listvennichny and in the port of Baikal, thrusts destroyed the berthing facilities. In the Sosnovka Bay on May 13, 1960, when the ice was completely calm, stones weighing 5-6 tons were forced ashore.

To protect engineering structures or ships from damage by ice thrusts, a lane is cut around the protected structures - a slot for free displacement of ice. The width of the lane must be at least one and a half thickness of the ice. But such precautionary measures do not always achieve their goal. Thrusts are sometimes so significant that such lanes do not prevent them. In this case, other, more active measures are needed. Usually you have to crush the advancing ice with explosions.

The impact of ice thrusts is enormous. Unfortunately, no direct measurements have been made yet.

The scale of the impact of thrusts depends on meteorological conditions - wind strength, the degree of temperature increase during warming, as well as on the size of the fields that have come into motion. On Baikal, they are up to 200-300 km2, the mass of ice that comes into motion at the same time reaches 180-220 million tons. The force of inertia of such a mass is very impressive. Even if the ice moves at a speed of 1 cm / s, then even in this case, with an ice thickness of 1 m, the impact will become enormous, and the developed power is comparable to the power of tens and even hundreds of the largest hydroelectric power plants. The speeds of movement of ice fields are dozens of times greater (up to 0.5-0.6 m / s), therefore, the force of the impact of such ice is many times greater.

When does an “artillery cannonade” happen on Baikal?

Every year in winter, after freezing of the entire water area of ​​the lake. With a sharp and significant decrease in temperature, the ice cover cools and shrinks. Shrinkage cracks appear in it. Their size depends on the absolute value and rate of temperature decrease. With less cooling, numerous wedge-shaped non-through (dry) cracks appear; with significant cooling - through (wet) cracks. The cracking of the ice is accompanied by noise and roar, which resembles an artillery cannonade.

What is ice breaking and what causes it?

Winter breaks of the ice cover on Baikal are a rather frequent phenomenon. From the past, there are cases when, after freezing, a horse crossing was already opened on the lake, and then the ice collapsed within a few hours. For example, January 13-14, 1908 from p. Buguldeyki to the village. Kha-rauz (a distance of about 25 km across the ice of the lake across the basin), a horse crossing opened, and on January 15-16 the ice near the western shore was broken and nine carts with horses were carried on ice floes across the lake for five days; 22 people escaped with difficulty. On January 19, the lake froze again, and from January 21, the usual regular crossing was established. In 1932, near the village. Listvennichnoye (Listvyanki) after the beginning of the crossing, the ice 10-15 cm thick was broken by a strong storm.

On Baikal, ice breaking is possible even if its thickness is over 30 cm. This happens under the influence of severe storms such as bora. Such a wind breaking down from the mountains has a huge downward force with powerful whirlwinds of different directions. Under the pressure of the wind, the ice cover on the water sways, hydraulic waves are excited under it, which, in turn, entail the emergence of ice waves of various periods, amplitudes and lengths, propagating in different directions. With such waves, forces arise that exceed the cohesive forces of ice. As a result, even monolithic ice that does not have through cracks breaks.

What is the weight capacity of ice?

Cargoes weighing up to 15 tons can be transported with an ice thickness of more than 75 cm. If the ice is cut by dry cracks, the calculated ice thickness must be increased by 20%, and for wet cracks - by 50%. In 1904, a 40 km long railway crossing was built across the lake between Baikal and Tankhoy stations. On the ice, metal rails were laid on logs, and they were transported by horse traction from the western to the eastern coast railway wagons and steam locomotives. The weight of the locomotives was about 65 tons. The ice could not withstand such a concentrated load on through cracks, and the locomotives had to be transported disassembled.

Why is young ice stronger than old ice?

Young ice is usually without cracks, its particles are tightly soldered together, and therefore it is much stronger. Solid, clean young ice about 5 cm thick can withstand the weight of a person (those who like to ride on young ice- people are allowed to walk on it only if there is a 4-5-fold safety margin). Previously, the transportation of goods on sledges began shortly after the freeze-up with an ice thickness of 32-35 cm. If we take into account that in severe frosts the ice grows up to 5 cm per day, then horse-drawn crossings often began not on the third or fourth day after the freeze-up, but on the eighth - the ninth - by motor transport. However, at present, due to pollution of water and ice, its strength has decreased.

In the spring, the crossing ends two or three weeks before the opening, and sometimes even earlier, although the ice at this time has a thickness of 50-60 cm. solar heat into unconnected needle-like crystals - sixths. Such long ice crystals penetrate first a part, and then the entire thickness of the ice. Ice crystals become, as it were, isolated. When water melts through such ice, movement on it is dangerous even for a pedestrian. Gradually it melts and the ice cover disappears

What are proparins and how are they caused?

On Baikal, the flow of heat from water to ice is very uneven, so the thickness of the ice is also uneven. Ice is thin where the flow of heat is so great that even in severe frosts it causes the ice to melt. These places, where polynyas form or ice thins considerably, are called proparins or springs. Proparins on Baikal are formed, according to V. M. Sokolnikov, from five reasons: from gases rising from the bottom and entraining

behind a warmer water; currents bringing warm water; thermal waters; key waters; heat of river waters in estuarine areas. From year to year, proparins are found in the near-delta sections of the Selenga and V. Angara rivers, in the Barguzinsky and Chivyrkuisky bays, over the Akademichesky ridge, in the area of ​​the Ushkany Islands, etc. careful. Areas where there are steam, it is better to bypass either by land or by moving several kilometers into the sea. Moving in areas where steam is possible should be accompanied by a guide who is well acquainted with the places of their formation.

How to detect proparins?

Open paraparins - polynyas - can be seen on the ice from a considerable distance, you just need to look carefully and be able to distinguish them. But more often, steams are hidden by a thin crust of ice, and after a snowfall they are powdered with a layer of snow. In this case, it is difficult to detect them. If the steams are caused by the release of deep gases, then gas bubbles can be seen under the ice, if it is clean and transparent. Steams formed by thermal waters, springs or inflow warm waters tributaries are harder to spot. To do this, you need to carefully examine the ice and test its thickness with a pick or other sharp object. Proparins are visible in aerial and space images in infrared light.

Where does Baikal open up first?

Near Cape Bolshoy Kadilny. There are gas outlets that raise warmer deep waters to the surface, and they cause the formation of steams in winter and melting of ice in spring.

Why does ice melt faster on steep banks than on gentler ones?

Steep, especially rocky shores reflect thermal solar radiation, which accelerates the melting of ice. In addition, on the ice cover of such coasts, mineral dust particles of the soil are accumulated from the coast. Darker, they absorb heat more, heat up and also accelerate the melting of ice.

Experiments with ice for children are always interesting. Conducting experiments with Vlad, I even made several discoveries for myself.

Today we will find answers to the following questions:

  • How does water behave when frozen?
  • What happens if you freeze salt water?
  • coat will warm the ice?
  • and some others...

freezing water

Water expands when it freezes. The photo shows a glass of frozen water. It can be seen that the ice has risen in a tubercle. Water does not freeze evenly. At first, ice appears at the walls of the glass, gradually filling the entire vessel. In water, the molecules move randomly, so it takes the shape of the vessel in which it is poured. Ice, on the other hand, has a clear crystalline structure, while the distances between ice molecules are greater than between water molecules, so ice occupies more space than water, that is, it expands.

Does salt water freeze?

The more salty the water, the lower the freezing point. For the experiment, we took two glasses - in one fresh water (marked with the letter B), in the other very salty water (marked with the letters B + C).

After standing in the freezer all night, the salt water did not freeze, but ice crystals formed in the glass. Fresh water turned to ice. While I was manipulating cups and salt solutions, Vladik created his own unplanned experiment.

He poured water, vegetable oil into a mug and discreetly put it in the freezer. The next day, I found a mug of ice and cloudy oil floating. We conclude that different liquids have different freezing temperatures.

Salty water it didn’t freeze in the freezer, but what happens if you sprinkle salt on the ice? Let's check.

Experience with ice and salt

Take two ice cubes. Sprinkle one of them with salt, and leave the second for comparison. Salt corrodes the ice, making grooves and passages in the ice cube. As expected, the ice cube sprinkled with salt melted much faster. That is why the janitors sprinkle the paths with salt in winter. If you sprinkle salt on ice, you can not only watch the melting, but also draw a little!

We froze a big icicle and sprinkled it with salt, took brushes and watercolor paints and began to create beauty. The eldest son applied paint to the ice with a brush, and junior hands.

Our experienced creativity unites the whole family, so Makarushkin's pen got into the camera lens!

Makar and Vlad are very everyone loves to freeze . Sometimes there are completely unexpected items in the freezer.

I dreamed of doing this experience since childhood, but my mother did not have a fur coat, and many I didn’t need a fur coat and no substitutes! My beloved bought me a fur coat, and now I present to your attention this wonderful experience. At the beginning, I had no idea how you could decide to wrap ice cream in a fur coat, even if you really want to experiment. And if the experiment fails, how to wash it later. Oh, it was not! ..

I put ice cream in bags :) I wrapped it in a fur coat and waited. Wow, everything is great! The fur coat is intact, and the ice cream has melted much less than the control sample, standing nearby without a fur coat.

How great it is to be an adult, to have a fur coat and do all sorts of children's experiments!

Children love to color and decorate. And colored ice delivers a lot of positive emotions and allows you to develop creativity in kids. The experiments are not only bright, informative, but also useful. I give you recipes for even more bright experiments for children now. Download a useful collection of experiments for your home laboratory - "Experiments with water". Write in the comments your feedback about the experiments and wishes: what experiences would you like to see on the pages of our site. Science is fun.

Your Galina Kuzmina

As soon as the reservoirs are covered with a crust of ice, a whole army of connoisseurs of winter extreme sports immediately appears - fishermen, tourists, lovers of sledging off the mountainous bank of the river or those who want to turn part of the river or pond into a skating rink. Motorists are also on the alert: finally, they do not need to get to the nearest bridge or crossing, because there is an ice road! Residents of lake and river regions arrange pedestrian and automobile crossings to shorten the path to their destination. How can you tell if it's safe to walk, drive, or skate on the ice? It is not worth risking endangering yourself and your comrades: for each of these cases, there are special rules. If you have children, be sure to teach them how much first ice is safe. It is easier to prevent an accident than to save someone who has fallen on fragile ice!

For a person

Experienced hunters and fishermen are able to recognize the approximate thickness of ice by its color. Blueish or "green" ice is considered strong, and the more transparent the ice cover, the stronger it is. Matte white or yellowish color indicates unreliability. If you see a section of the river under the ice, on which there are no traces of animals and humans, think about why. Most likely this is the place where the springs hit, the ice crust there is very thin, and because of the snow it is not visible.

You need to know:

  1. Ice at least 10 cm thick is considered safe for humans. fresh water and 15 cm in salt.
  2. In the mouths of rivers and channels, the strength of ice is weakened.
  3. The ice is unstable in places of fast currents, gushing springs and runoff waters, as well as in areas where aquatic vegetation grows, near trees, bushes, and reeds.
  4. If the air temperature is above 0 degrees for more than three days, then the strength of the ice is reduced by 25%.

Video about the rules of being on the ice

Let's fix the material on the strength of ice:

  • ice blue color- durable,
  • white - its strength is 2 times less,
  • dull white or with a yellowish tint - unreliable.

Do not take winter walks lightly and do not prepare in advance. It is very difficult for a person who has fallen through the ice to get out, since the edges of the polynya will break off under its weight. An adult or a child can drown from hypothermia, which occurs after a quarter of an hour. Some people get cold shock.

You can download a memo about safety and rules of conduct on ice after the article

For winter crossing

We present the data in the table below.

Safe thickness, m Taking into account the weight, t
where there is fresh water where the sea water
0,10 0,15 up to 0.1 5
0,20 0,25 up to 0.8 10
0,25 0,30 up to 3.0 20
0,35 0,45 up to 6.5 25
0,40 0,50 to 10 26

For technology

Safe thickness, m Taking into account the weight, t Taking into account the distance to the ice edge, m
where there is fresh water where the sea water
0,70 0,55 up to 20 30
100 0,95 up to 40 40

When organizing a crossing for equipment, the following factors are taken into account:

  • the depth of the reservoir;
  • flow rate;
  • the distance between the banks of the river;
  • traffic intensity;
  • when a hydroelectric power plant is located nearby, the route calculation data is compared with the operating mode of the hydroelectric power plant.

Theory and practice

The ice track is cleared of snow on both sides of the axis (not less than 10 m) and marked with milestones (every 15-20 m). Since the traffic on the track is one-way, the road with reverse traffic should be laid at least 100 m. see. The holes are arranged according to the principle of chess cells at a distance of 5 m from the axis in the direction in both directions. For safety, they are fenced with a snow embankment around the circumference and covered with wooden shields. The emerging "hanging" of ice is brought down mechanically. Measurements are made by the local hydrometeorological service every 5 days, and more often in case of thaws.

In addition to the weight of the equipment, adjustments are made for traffic intensity according to the formula:

H tr \u003d n a P

It takes into account:

  • H is the ice thickness;
  • n is the coefficient of traffic intensity (with a throughput of 500 cars per day, the indicator n is equal to 1, if 1 is 500, then 400 is 0.8, etc.);
  • a is an indicator of the load characteristics (wheeled, caterpillar);
  • P is the mass of the load, t.

The formula can be supplemented, depending on the characteristics of local conditions.

As you can see, it is much easier to secure the movement of one person, but only if this person follows the rules. Ultimately the table allowable thickness ice (and the load on it) when organizing the crossing of equipment will look like this:

Required ice cover thickness (cm) taking into account the average daily t for the past 3 days Distance between cars, m
– 10 ° and below - 5 °С With a short-term thaw to 0 °
Tracked vehicles
4 18 20 28 10
6 22 24 31 15
10 28 31 39 20
16 36 40 50 25
20 40 44 56 30
30 49 54 68 35
40 57 63 80 40
50 63 70 88 55
60 70 77 98 70
Wheeled vehicles
3,5 22 24 31 18
6 29 32 40 20
8 34 37 48 22
10 38 42 53 25
15 46 50 64 30

Amendments and clarifications

When using the table, it should be taken into account that the average daily temperature and “ideal” conditions for the formation of the “freshwater shelly” ice variety are taken. Thickness index porous ice will have to be doubled. In the presence of salt water in the reservoir, the correction factor is reduced to 1.2. With frequent thaws, the carrying capacity of each piece of equipment is determined in a practical way.

If necessary, the ice cover is artificially thickened, clearing the space for this, pouring water on it and waiting for the layers to freeze. If it is required to transport equipment to the place of diving operations in places where ice covers sea water bodies, the conditions change as described in the first table of the article.

But let us return once again to the requirements of behavior in the winter on a river or a pond, which are valid for a person, and especially for children, who are more often than adults are unreasonable. It is believed that the ice for the safe presence of a person on it must be at least 10-15 cm (depending on the water, fresh or salty). In the case of mass events on ice, the norm increases to 25 cm. You should also know how to behave if someone (or yourself) fell through the ice, because panic can lead to a sad outcome.

When the seemingly strong ice for safe movement has been replaced by porous and brittle, you can suddenly find yourself in the water, pull yourself together and follow the recommendations:

  1. Spread your arms to the sides so that you can lean on without breaking the edges of the “font” and not choking.
  2. You will have to crawl out of the hole, avoiding jerky movements. If you have "ice awls" and a rope with you, use them for pulling up.
  3. Rule of thumb: Don't rely on separate sections a small area, and try to position yourself so that the largest area serves as a support.
  4. Roll away from the edges of the dip, and when standing on your feet, do not run, move slowly and without raising your legs above the ice surface.
  5. When helping a fallen one, find something that will help expand the area of ​​\u200b\u200bsupport (sports equipment, plywood, plastic).
  6. Do not stand on the edge of the hole, act at the optimal distance.
  7. Throw the rope to the one who is in the hole and pull with uniform movements, helping to get out.
  8. When you get home, change the victim's clothes, give him some tea (no alcohol added!) and call an ambulance.

Rescuers operating in conditions where movement on ice is required should remember:

  1. When choosing a route, you need to remember about drifting ice (on the sea, lake), find out the speed and direction of the current, wind.
  2. It is worth stocking up on anti-slip devices.
  3. On water with currents, the thickness of the ice can be different everywhere.
  4. In swamps, unlike rivers, the ice is stronger in the center and weaker at the edges.

Rules of conduct on a frozen pond

  1. Do not experiment with checking the strength of the cover with your feet, take a pole with you.
  2. Find existing trodden paths.
  3. If you are one of the first to build such a hiking trail, test the strength of the ice in front of you with a stick, avoid places that do not inspire confidence.
  4. Remember the signs of a fragile coating: crackling, mobility, the appearance of water above the surface. If this happens, move from this place with your legs apart, slowly or even crawling.
  5. You can not move in a company (between travelers or skiers you need gaps of at least 5 meters), with skis fastened to your legs, with ski poles attached to your hands.
  6. Anglers need to count the number of holes in a certain area and drill them at a considerable distance from each other.
  7. If you have a load (satchel, backpack), it is better to secure it with a rope and drag it at a distance.
  8. If there is a need to overcome a patch of unstable ice, go there with a belayer. Even moving at a distance of 5 meters, he will help in case of an accident.
  9. If you have the opportunity, it is best to drill a hole and measure the thickness of the ice before your winter hike.
  10. It is not recommended to fish near melted or damaged areas of ice.
  11. Stock up on a twelve meter (or longer) rope, at one end of it there should be a load.