It
sounds like a science fiction film of the B series. But it's a name
referring to the the curious natural phenomenon. The brinicle or
estalactita, the under water icicle was first discovered in 1960 but the
first filming of it was not until last year.
As
brine from the sea ice sinks, a 'brinicle' forms, threatening life on
the sea floor with a frosty fate. A bizarre underwater "icicle of
death" has been filmed by a BBC crew, With time-lapse cameras.
Specialists recorded salt water being excluded from the sea ice and
sinking. As the water is heavily laden of salt, it sinks right down
towards the bottom of the ocean, The temperature of this sinking brine,
which was well below 0C, caused the water to freeze in an icy sheath
around it. Any sea vegetation, sea creatures, anything at all freezes
up in contact with it.
Where
the so-called "brinicle" met the sea bed, a web of ice formed that
freezes everything it touched, including sea urchins and starfish. The
unusual phenomenon was filmed for the first time by cameramen Hugh
Miller and Doug Anderson for the BBC One series Frozen Planet. You can
see it in YouTube called the 'Brinicle Finger Of Death'.
We
are every now & then being reminded that in life, as well as in
nature, there are some visually very beautiful things that could also
be very dangerous even deadly.
Tags: icefinger
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