[Q] Puddles and ice patterns

[paigetheoracle]

Why do frozen puddles have different sections in their designs, like barometric pressure lines, sometimes?

[stereologist]

Do you mean like rings around the edge?

 

The water and ground are not always at the same temperature. Water being fluid can circulate. Water also holds heat better than dirt. Puddles freeze from the edge towards the middle. Uneven freezing leaves traces of the freezing process.

[paigetheoracle]

Yes but also rings within rings or more uneven shapes really like stamps on letters (think of a weather map and the barometric pressure circles on it)

[stereologist]

What about the bottom of the puddles? Rocks and shallow portions freeze quicker. Later modifications occur to ice by the sun shining through the ice. One of the interesting properties of ice is that it emits most fo the energy it absorbs. Light passes through the ice and heats objects under it.

[paigetheoracle]

I'm wondering if it's trapped air bubbles but don't know for sure - like you see when somebody breathes underwater and the trapped air floats up until it hits the bottom of the ice, when swimming in artic conditions.

[stereologist]

That's an excellent idea. It's too warm where I live now to look into this more.