Applications and Utilization Applications and Utilization of the of the

Ice Crack Classification Ice Crack Classification SystemSystem

in in an Era of Global Climate an Era of Global Climate

ChangeChange Lloyd Mitchell Ph.D., M.P.H., R.S.Lloyd Mitchell Ph.D., M.P.H., R.S.

Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City State University

Dept. of Health and Physical EducationDept. of Health and Physical Education

Purposes Purposes

To assist in:To assist in: Arctic and Antarctic studies,Arctic and Antarctic studies, ocean, lake, & ice road transportation ocean, lake, & ice road transportation

planning, planning, planetary studies. planetary studies.

Purpose 1Purpose 1To assist in:To assist in:

Arctic and Antarctic studies; global scienceArctic and Antarctic studies; global science

Purpose 2Purpose 2To assist in:To assist in: ocean, lake, &ocean, lake, & ice road transportation planningice road transportation planning

All Images FromIce Road Truckers

Image Gallery Unless Otherwise Noted

Collage and Image Above FromCrowley , Inc., Alaska

Images: Lloyd Mitchell ©2008

Purpose 3Purpose 3To assist in:To assist in: planetary studies planetary studies

Ice Cracks on Europa All Images ©NASA

Above: R. Mars, L. Ice Ridges on EuropaBelow: Earth Orbiting Satellites

Ice CracksIce Cracks: : Important Important Scientific FactsScientific Facts You Should You Should

Know!Know!1. Ice1. Ice cracks! cracks!

2. Ice is a2. Ice is a mineral! mineral!

3. All minerals have a 3. All minerals have a specific atomic structurespecific atomic structure. .

4. Minerals fracture according to universal 4. Minerals fracture according to universal fracturing processes determined its fracturing processes determined its specific specific atomic structureatomic structure. .

5.Therefore, ice’s fracturing process results in 5.Therefore, ice’s fracturing process results in unique and predictable crack unique and predictable crack

configurationsconfigurations based upon based upon ice’s ice’s specific atomic structurespecific atomic structure. .

Atomic StructureAtomic Structure

Ice assumes related crystalline structures, more than any other known material: Ice I – Ice XIV, (Ice IX mentioned Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle.)

Two closely related variants of ice I: 1. Ih (normal), Hexagonal Ice, hexagonal symmetry, and 2. Ic (cold below 140°K), Cubic Ice, crystal structure similar to

diamond

Amorphous ice: made by depositing water vapor onto a substrate at lower temperatures …below 140K!

Atomic Structure: A Closer Atomic Structure: A Closer LookLook

A. Each oxygen atom surrounded by four other oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement

B. Bernal-Fowler rules: Hydrogen atoms in ice are arranged following Bernal-Fowler rules: 

1. two protons close (about 0.98A) to each oxygen atom, like free water molecule

2. each H20 molecule oriented so the two protons point toward two adjacent oxygen atoms

3. only one proton between two adjacent oxygen atoms

4. under ordinary conditions large number of possible configurations is equally probable

C. Cold: Colder Temps = configuration changes

D. Distance: Distance between oxygen atoms is approximately 2.75 Angstroms.  

Data Collection by Agencies:Data Collection by Agencies:Three Basic CategoriesThree Basic Categories

Sea IceSea Ice National Snow and Ice Data CenterNational Snow and Ice Data Center National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration Canadian Ice ServiceCanadian Ice Service

Lake IceLake Ice National Oceanic and Atmospheric National Oceanic and Atmospheric

AdministrationAdministration

Planetary IcePlanetary Ice National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

Data Collection & Analysis: Sea Data Collection & Analysis: Sea IceIce

Cells + Grids = Maps:

Sea Ice Often Studied in Cells

Cells Put Together in Large Grids

Grids Put Together to Create Maps

<-Remote Sensing:

Grids Critical In Data Observations

Model Used by National Snow and Ice Data Center,University of Colorado

Data Collection & Analysis: Data Collection & Analysis: Lake IceLake Ice

A Critical Canadian-U.S. Joint VentureA Critical Canadian-U.S. Joint Venture Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory: Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory:

NOAANOAA

and theand the Canadian Ice ServiceCanadian Ice Service

Ice AtlasIce Atlas Digitalized Ice Charts:Digitalized Ice Charts:

First Ice, Last Ice, & Ice DurationFirst Ice, Last Ice, & Ice Duration Daily Ice Cover Time SeriesDaily Ice Cover Time Series Weekly Ice Cover StatisticsWeekly Ice Cover Statistics Real Time Ice Cover DataReal Time Ice Cover Data

Example at Right: 04 February 08 ->Example at Right: 04 February 08 ->

DataData CollectionCollection && Analysis:Analysis:

PlanetaryPlanetary IceIce NASA World’s Lead Data Collection AgencyNASA World’s Lead Data Collection Agency Data Collection Value for Ice VariesData Collection Value for Ice Varies

Earth ObservationsEarth Observations Life and Origins of UniverseLife and Origins of Universe Terraforming and Planetary ColonizationTerraforming and Planetary Colonization Resource Exploitation Resource Exploitation Product Commercialization i.e. Jupiter Ice Water!Product Commercialization i.e. Jupiter Ice Water!

Ice CracksIce Cracks Assist Climate Change StudiesAssist Climate Change Studies Analyze Meteoric ImpactsAnalyze Meteoric Impacts Observation and Imaging of Ice Cracks, and …Observation and Imaging of Ice Cracks, and … Artistic Interpretation of Ice Crack Geomorphology Artistic Interpretation of Ice Crack Geomorphology -->-->

Back-and-forth shearing forces may create heat

that turns ice into water vapour on Saturn's moon Enceladus

© NASA JPL

DataData CollectionCollection && Analysis:Analysis: Non-Non-AgencyAgency

Non-ProfitNon-Profit United States of America FoundationsUnited States of America Foundations Canadian, British, Euro FoundationsCanadian, British, Euro Foundations World TrustsWorld Trusts

Variable FundingVariable Funding ConsortiaConsortia International GroupsInternational Groups

CorporateCorporate Oil (U.S., Dutch)Oil (U.S., Dutch) Transportation (Greek, Norwegian)Transportation (Greek, Norwegian)

PrivatePrivate

DataData CollectionCollection && Analysis:Analysis: Non-Non-AgencyAgency Non-ProfitNon-Profit

United States of America FoundationsUnited States of America Foundations Charles Lindberg FoundationCharles Lindberg Foundation Koch Family FoundationKoch Family Foundation

Canadian, British, Euro FoundationsCanadian, British, Euro Foundations European Foundation CentreEuropean Foundation Centre

World TrustsWorld Trusts Pew Charitable TrustsPew Charitable Trusts

Variable FundingVariable Funding ConsortiaConsortia International GroupsInternational Groups AcademiaAcademia

Friends of Scott Polar Research Friends of Scott Polar Research GroupGroup

CorporateCorporate Oil (U.S., Dutch)Oil (U.S., Dutch)

Shell Oil Company FoundationShell Oil Company Foundation Transportation (Greek, Norwegian)Transportation (Greek, Norwegian)

Onassis FoundationOnassis Foundation PrivatePrivate

Lloyd W. Mitchell Jr. FundLloyd W. Mitchell Jr. Fund SelfSelf

IPY 2008: Results IPY 2008: Results All Ice Crack Studies Come All Ice Crack Studies Come

Together!Together!Upper Left: Resonance Fracturing

Lower Left: Tidal & Wind Action Fracturing

Center Left: Wind Action Blow Off (Enceladus,

Saturn)

Lower Right: Canadian, Greenland, American Ice

Center Right: Europa Ice Crack Formation

Upper Right: Alaskan Mega Crack

Ice Crack Classification Ice Crack Classification SystemSystem

NameName FeatureFeature Ice TypeIce TypeLinearLinear Straighter or slightly Straighter or slightly

curvedcurvedSea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

LightningLightning Bolt likeBolt like Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

ArchedArched Archway likeArchway like Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

Multi-Multi-ArchedArched

Two or more arches Two or more arches combinedcombined

Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

HoneycomHoneycombb

Found only on surface iceFound only on surface ice Primarily Primarily LakeLake

CommonCommon

JaggedJagged Sawtooth likeSawtooth like Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

RidgeRidge Above GroundAbove Ground SeaSea Very Very RareRare

MarriedMarried Varies:Varies: AnyAny TwoTwo oror MoreMore

Forms Forms Sea, LakeSea, Lake RareRare

MirrorMirror Any One TypeAny One Type LakeLake Very Very RareRare

ParallelParallel Any One TypeAny One Type Sea, LakeSea, Lake RareRare

NetworkNetwork Crack Network Crack Network CombinationCombination

Sea, LakeSea, Lake ****

RadiantRadiant Impact crater or hole Impact crater or hole Sea , LakeSea , Lake **

Ice Crack Classification Ice Crack Classification SystemSystem

NameName FeatureFeature Ice TypeIce Type

LinearLinear Straighter or slightly curvedStraighter or slightly curved Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

LightningLightning Bolt likeBolt like Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

ArchedArched Archway likeArchway like Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

Multi-Multi-ArchedArched

Two or more arches Two or more arches combinedcombined

Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

HoneycomHoneycombb

Found only on surface iceFound only on surface ice Primarily Primarily LakeLake

CommonCommon

JaggedJagged Sawtooth likeSawtooth like Sea, LakeSea, Lake CommonCommon

RidgeRidge Above GroundAbove Ground SeaSea Very Very RareRare

MarriedMarried Varies: Any Two or More Varies: Any Two or More Forms Forms

Sea, LakeSea, Lake RareRare

MirrorMirror Any One TypeAny One Type LakeLake Very Very RareRare

ParallelParallel Any One TypeAny One Type Sea, LakeSea, Lake RareRare

NetworkNetwork Crack Network CombinationCrack Network Combination Sea, LakeSea, Lake ****

RadiantRadiant Impact crater or hole Impact crater or hole Sea , LakeSea , Lake **

Thank You, Mr. Robert Wu,National Science Foundation’s Official Ice Crack Photographer

All Images Made Possible With A Grant From TheNational Science Foundation

Critical Crack Ecology: Marine Critical Crack Ecology: Marine LifeLife

Life in the Cracks

Seals Hunt, Sometimes Kill, and Eat the Little Fish

Killer Whales Hunt, Sometimes Kill, and Eat the Seals, and…

Critical Crack Ecology: Critical Crack Ecology: HumansHumans

Critical Crack Ecology: Critical Crack Ecology: HumansHumans

All Photographs © Lloyd Mitchell 2008

Recommendations:Recommendations:Honor Your PastHonor Your Past

All Photographs © Lloyd Mitchell 2008

Recommendations: Recommendations: Prepare For Your FuturePrepare For Your Future

Photograph © Lloyd Mitchell 2008

And Don’t Forget…And Don’t Forget…

The Importance of Cracks…The Importance of Cracks…

Do You Want To BecomeDo You Want To BecomeA Crackologist?A Crackologist?

Contact Dr. Lloyd MitchellContact Dr. Lloyd Mitchell

Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City State University

lwmitchell@mail.ecsu.edulwmitchell@mail.ecsu.edu

252.335.3693252.335.3693

oror

lloydmitchell3@yahoo.comlloydmitchell3@yahoo.com

252.338.8899252.338.8899