Self-Diffusion in Single Crystal Ice

Abstract

Measurement of self-diffusion in ice ⊥(00,1) and ⊥(10,0) were made by a tracer sectioning method using single crystals from Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska. U.S.A.. The activation energies of diffusion D_⊥(00,1) and D_⊥(10,0) are 0.54eV and 0.65eV respectively. Among the several possible mechanisms the “free interestitial molecule mechanism” is the only mechanism which would give higher activation energy of diffusion along ⊥(10,0) than ⊥(00,1).