A frozen waterfall is an amazing sight. To understand the features of freezing, you need to understand what waterfalls are and how they are formed?
The appearance and disappearance of waterfalls
A waterfall is a natural phenomenon during which river water at high speed descends from a ledge crossing a river channel. Waterfalls have something in common with rapids, but in contrast to them are characterized by sharper changes in height. Also, streams of water sink at a different angle. If the fall height is less than a meter - this is the threshold, if it is more - a waterfall. Scientists note the regular displacement of waterfalls. This is due to the fact that water gradually destroys the ledge. For instance, every year Niagara Falls moves to a distance of about 80 cm.
A waterfall can form only in that river channel, where sufficiently hard, dense rocks are present. Otherwise, they quickly collapse under the influence of flows and the waterfall disappears. However, sooner or later all the waterfalls disappear, or they gradually move upstream.
Sometimes in nature there are situations that the river is on the lava path after a volcanic eruption or a rock collapse. Then the water level becomes higher and higher until it reaches the very top of the barrier. From this moment, water begins to fall sharply downward under a large slope. This place, where the abrupt descent of the water stream begins, is called the crest of the waterfall.The disappearance of the waterfall has been going on for more than one decade. All this time he slowly moves, streams wash and carry away stone blocks. Because of this, the ridge gradually falls lower and lower until the waterfall disappears completely.
Often you can find amazing natural structures that arise under constant water pressure. She washes the rocks and begins to descend from one ledge to another. So there are whole chains of large and small waterfalls - cascades. There are also water strips - these are natural objects that are rocky gutters with water flows falling along them.
Waterfalls can have different origins, for example, tectonic - they are formed at the fault site of two plates of the earth's crust. They can also appear unexpectedly due to an earthquake, a soil shift, and even human activities (transfusion of water through a dam).
Interesting fact: The highest waterfall is considered to be Angel, which is located in Venezuela. Its height is 1034 meters. In addition, waterfalls are found not only on land - in the Danish Gulf there is a huge underwater waterfall. It was formed at the junction of water flows with different temperatures and salt contents.
Waterfall freezing process
Freezing a waterfall is bewildering, since it is hard to imagine how water flows at high speed can turn into ice? However, this is quite possible, and not only for small, but also large waterfalls.Freezing depends on many factors, such as the features of the location of the waterfall, its size, shape, air temperature.
Waterfalls are formed from freshwater river. In winter, its temperature drops to 0 degrees, which should cause freezing. However, the speed of an ordinary river flow is quite high, not to mention the fact that during the fall the water is in constant motion. Accordingly, for moving water, 0 degrees Celsius is not a reason to turn into ice. However, supercooling of water does not stop there, if the frost is strong enough.
Gradually, every drop of water turns into an ice crystal. Over time, sludge forms - fine loose ice. Once such ice floes suspend their movement for a split second, they begin to connect with each other.
Also, small particles of ice quickly adhere to a cold stone surface. At very low temperatures, water droplets freeze right in flight, and fall to the ground already in the form of ice floes. Given how many such droplets fly every second in the water stream, it is not surprising that ice will gradually form around the waterfall. Over time, it can cover the entire waterfall.
It can freeze on either side - there are no specific rules for this phenomenon. The freezing process is influenced by the peculiarity of the river and waterfall. The main factor is how fast the flow moves, as well as what temperature it has. Initial signs of icing may form on the ridge itself, where water falls down.Also, freezing often begins below - at the foot of the waterfall, where loose ice accumulates on the rocks.
Interesting fact: One of the largest waterfalls, Niagara (North America), is regularly subjected to partial icing, but it was completely observed frozen in 1911-1912 due to severe frosts.
The waterfall can begin to freeze on either side - from above, at the foot, and also on the sides. This is influenced by several factors: the size of the waterfall, flow, air temperature. The freezing process begins with the formation of small crystals of ice in drops of water - sludge. They stick to each other and cold stones. Gradually, ice appears, which can cover the entire waterfall. If the air temperature is very low, the drops may freeze even in flight and crumble in the form of ice crumbs.
