Comments on: Ice from the skies! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:56:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Maria Sanchez http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-136108 Maria Sanchez Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:54:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-136108 This is a topic, probably related with extreme atmospheric events, that was already studied by different authors: See Megacryometeors: http://tierra.rediris.es/megacryometeors To my knowledge, several papers have been published in the following scientific journals: Geotimes Journal of Chromatography AMBIO: Journal of the Human Environment Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry Journal of Environmental Monitoring I think that there are evidence that their origin is atmospheric (upper troposphere). Cheers, Maria This is a topic, probably related with extreme atmospheric events, that was already studied by different authors:

See Megacryometeors:
http://tierra.rediris.es/megacryometeors

To my knowledge, several papers have been published in the following scientific journals:

Geotimes
Journal of Chromatography
AMBIO: Journal of the Human Environment
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry
Journal of Environmental Monitoring

I think that there are evidence that their origin is atmospheric (upper troposphere).

Cheers,

Maria

]]> By: Bud S. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-128053 Bud S. Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:53:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-128053 Ice from the skies may be a topic in your book, Phil -- I don't know, since I'm only half way through. Great book, by the way. But I want to mention a typo that missed the final proofread. Page 149, last paragraph. "That meant it had to be a black hole; a 7-solar-mass-star would have been be easy to detect." Ice from the skies may be a topic in your book, Phil — I don’t know, since I’m only half way through. Great book, by the way. But I want to mention a typo that missed the final proofread. Page 149, last paragraph. “That meant it had to be a black hole; a 7-solar-mass-star would have been be easy to detect.”

]]> By: Mad Hussein LOLscientist, FCD http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-127999 Mad Hussein LOLscientist, FCD Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:29:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-127999 Oh noes! Not more icy BMs! One thing's for sure: That's one well-insulated attic! Oh noes! Not more icy BMs!

One thing’s for sure: That’s one well-insulated attic!

]]> By: Stark http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-127931 Stark Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:38:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-127931 Naomi - Yes, that was ice. A little bit of leading edge ice-formation at altitude is not at all unusual and poses no risk to the aircraft. Typically de-icing systems would not be engaged for just some minor leading edge icing. Ice becomes a problem when it begins to build up on the surface of the wings - which increases weight quite a bit and will eventually result in control surfaces icing over. Iced control surfaces are a Very Bad Thing - a crash causing thing. Naomi – Yes, that was ice. A little bit of leading edge ice-formation at altitude is not at all unusual and poses no risk to the aircraft. Typically de-icing systems would not be engaged for just some minor leading edge icing. Ice becomes a problem when it begins to build up on the surface of the wings – which increases weight quite a bit and will eventually result in control surfaces icing over. Iced control surfaces are a Very Bad Thing – a crash causing thing.

]]> By: Swordfish http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-127921 Swordfish Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:20:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-127921 Ah, well, I guess I just didn't notice the air traffic while I was out there. I also haven't been out there for any real length of time since I graduated in May, so I could have easily forgotten too. Ah, well, I guess I just didn’t notice the air traffic while I was out there. I also haven’t been out there for any real length of time since I graduated in May, so I could have easily forgotten too.

]]> By: David S. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-127917 David S. Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:37:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-127917 BethK, thanks as well for the York Dispatch link, as I hadn't seen it yet. I'm the microbiologist at York College. We'll likely melt some of the ice as cleanly as possible, however it has been handled quite a lot, and we'll have to be careful to eliminate surface contamination. If it is something dropped from a plane or a hailstone, it'll likely have lots of organisms, many of which are unculturable, so we'll stain a sample with a DNA binding dye to visualize bacteria. In regards to the homeowners' insurance question above; I asked that as well of the Fosters. Yes, they were covered by this. BethK, thanks as well for the York Dispatch link, as I hadn’t seen it yet. I’m the microbiologist at York College. We’ll likely melt some of the ice as cleanly as possible, however it has been handled quite a lot, and we’ll have to be careful to eliminate surface contamination. If it is something dropped from a plane or a hailstone, it’ll likely have lots of organisms, many of which are unculturable, so we’ll stain a sample with a DNA binding dye to visualize bacteria.

In regards to the homeowners’ insurance question above; I asked that as well of the Fosters. Yes, they were covered by this.

]]> By: BethK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/comment-page-1/#comment-127905 BethK Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:51:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/10/22/ice-from-the-skies/#comment-127905 Swordfish, I teach Computer Science at Millersville and live toward the river (toward York County). There are an amazing number of flight paths over this area. I sometimes used to see the Concorde flying by on its way to a west approach into Dulles. There are days when the sky is well-crossed with contrails. We have flights overhead from Philly, BWI, and Middletown, as well as many other places. Swordfish, I teach Computer Science at Millersville and live toward the river (toward York County). There are an amazing number of flight paths over this area. I sometimes used to see the Concorde flying by on its way to a west approach into Dulles. There are days when the sky is well-crossed with contrails. We have flights overhead from Philly, BWI, and Middletown, as well as many other places.

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