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Universality in snowflake aggregation
Author(s) -
Westbrook C. D.,
Ball R. C.,
Field P. R.,
Heymsfield A. J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2004gl020363
Subject(s) - statistical physics , scaling , universality (dynamical systems) , aggregate (composite) , cloud physics , plot (graphics) , scaling law , physics , chemical physics , geology , computer science , mathematics , materials science , cloud computing , nanotechnology , statistics , geometry , operating system , quantum mechanics
Aggregation of ice crystals is a key process governing precipitation. Individual ice crystals exhibit considerable diversity of shape, and a wide range of physical processes could influence their aggregation; despite this we show that a simple computer model captures key features of aggregate shape and size distribution reported recently from cirrus clouds. The results prompt a new way to plot the experimental size distributions leading to remarkably good dynamical scaling. That scaling independently confirms that there is a single dominant aggregation mechanism at play, albeit our model (based on undeflected trajectories to contact) does not capture its form exactly.