Three-Dimensional Structure of Plate-like Snow Crystals

Abstract

A simple method for taking the side view and the stereo-photomicrographs of plate-like snow crystals was described and examined their three-dimensional structures and the thickness from the photographs. The results show that most of plate-like snow crystals consist of two or more plate-like crystals which have different forms and sizes and their thickness was thinner than that observed by Ono (1969) and Auer and Veal (1970). The falling attitude of double plates was infered to be fallen with smaller plate oriented downward from the observation of their riming properties and the snow crystals which were replicated in natural falling conditions. Further, the growth conditions of natural dendritic snow crystals were briefly discussed.