Snowflakes Melting Simulation Over Turntable

  • Released Thursday, March 29th, 2018
  • Updated Friday, August 25th, 2023 at 12:09AM
  • ID: 4629

Clockwise rotating turntable of a cluster of melting snowflakes.

These simulated melting snowflakes were based on a smoothed particle hydrodynamics model. Scientists are interested in understanding the microphysics of such events to help improve remote sensing of melting layer precipitation.

Print resolution image of a snowflake cluster in it's initial fully frozen state.

Print resolution image of a snowflake cluster in it's initial fully frozen state.

Print resolution image of snowflakes beginning to show some melting primarily at their tips.

Print resolution image of snowflakes beginning to show some melting primarily at their tips.

Print resolution image of liquid droplets starting to form across the entire frozen snowflake structure.

Print resolution image of liquid droplets starting to form across the entire frozen snowflake structure.

Print resolution image of liquid water enveloping most of the frozen structure at this stage.

Print resolution image of liquid water enveloping most of the frozen structure at this stage.

Print resolution image of almost fully liquid structure now, with only a few remaining small frozen structures remaining.

Print resolution image of almost fully liquid structure now, with only a few remaining small frozen structures remaining.

Print resolution image of fully formed water droplets.

Print resolution image of fully formed water droplets.

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

Papers

This visualization is based on the following papers:

Datasets used in this visualization

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Model Method
Model NASA/JPL

Model used to simulate melting snowflakes.

Credit: NASA/JPL

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