The picture shows a rime crystal on the thin fibers of wool. It fell of a tree by the gust of wind and was caught with wool. With a macro lens, the fine crystal structures could be captured very precisely. The photograph had to be taken quickly, before the rime crystal began to melt. For this reason, the outside temperatures had to stay below freezing point for a longer period of time. The picture was taken in the early morning just before the sun rose behind the mountains. Ice crystals are formed by the direct transition from the gaseous to the crystalline state. This process is called resublimation. In the solid state of aggregation, the H2O molecules form a crystal lattice. Six hydrogen molecules join together by hydrogen bonding to form a ring. Only angles of 60 ° or 120 ° are possible. This forms the hexagonal symmetry, which is also visible in the image. The shapes depend on the prevailing temperature and the humidity. Although ice crystals are transparent, the light is reflected and scattered in all visible wavelengths.
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<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>