Why the forests are formed "ice hair"?
Source:"Ice hair" can be found in the woods after cold night
Walking through a deciduous forest the morning after a cold night we each have a small chance to see one of the most . To have fallen to the ground rotten branches of oak, maple and some other trees, you notice ice formations that look like a white wig or cotton candy. The reason of their occurrence, scientists could not explain for many centuries and mysterious bits of fluff ice in different parts of the world was known under various names among which was "ice hair" and "ice ribbon". However, in 2015, the German scientists were finally able to find the answer to many a question. It turned out that the ice formed in such an unusual form due to the presence in the wood moisture invisible to the naked eye mushrooms.
How and where to find "ice hair"?
The results of the study, told the publication . Unusual ice formation on the surface of rotten wood can be detected in almost any broad-leaved woods of our planet, even in Russia. As a rule, such forests are oaks, Linden, maples and ash trees, but they are almost impossible to see the spruce, pine and other coniferous trees. Usually "ice hair" in Russia can be found in November, when the soil is still not frozen but the air temperature is kept at zero degrees.
One of the most amazing phenomena of nature
In 2015, the German scientists have studied the structure of ice formations and found in them traces of at least 10 mushrooms. However, almost all samples present a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa. In the process of studying the interaction of rotten wood, water and small particles of the previously formed ice, the scientists noticed that the ice filaments occur only in the case if liquid water is on the inside of rotting wood. She literally sucked lying on the surface of the ice and cools down on its tip. This process continues until, while in a dead part of the tree is not over wet.
Unusual formal ice on the trees, this is the result of fungus Exidiopsis effusa
And that frozen water does not form large crystals and take the form of thin hairs, the main role is played by fungi Exidiopsis effusa. Scientists do not yet know how, but they don't give the crystals to stick together, causing the length of the hairs sometimes reaches 20 centimeters, and their thickness is almost the same as human hair. At the moment it is believed that the adhesion is prevented due to the impact produced by fungi substances called lignin and tannin. This, at least, said the chemist Diana Hofmann.
To confirm this hunch, scientists have yet to conduct a lot of research. They have to figure out why the ice fluff is formed only on the wood of deciduous trees and whether there are other forms of ice, as yet unknown to mankind. The complexity of the study of ice formations of unusual shape is that they quickly melt away . However, researchers hardly anything bothers to run processes in the laboratory, especially at the moment they know about the principles of interaction of wood, water and fungi much more than before.
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