Are there really such things as "ice bells"? I suspect that the Earth Science Picture of the Day at epod.usra.edu for 2/28/08 may be a gentle hoax. Some people I've talked with say that they come from Hell's Bells when hell freezes over.

Baloo55th

Here's some different shaped ones from Scotland: http://www.bond-photography.com/photo_356824.html and some from Pottersville (with extra pics linked below): http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/viewsingleimage.html?mode=singleimage&handle=adkpics&number=19&album_id=15&thumbstart=0&gallery= Can't tell you how they form, but they do. These are a bit closer: http://www.soe.uoguelph.ca/webfiles/wjames/illustrations/BTDuncanSideTrail2.JPG Quite a lot more references, so definitely a genuine phenomenon. Feb 29 08, 3:59 PM

scalar

Thanks Baloo, your researches got farther than mine, but they are pretty different. Ice Bells on Spruce Creek http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=408384 from Earth Science Picture of the Day: http://epod.usra.edu/ [Added links - McG] Feb 29 08, 4:58 PM

Baloo55th

They seem to be a specialised form of icicle where the taper is reversed. Normally, an icicle builds by water running down and freezing. As the icicle grows, more of the water freezes in the upper regions, which causes the carrot shape. Ice bells seem to be associated with water like streams, where there will be splash from below and the presence of a higher level of vapour in the air. Unlike the normal icicle, where the feed water comes from above, this will contact the bell icicle from below and give rise to the inverted shape. This is a Baloo deconstruction of icicle formation - anyone who can make up or find a better story please do so. (I don't think the fairies make them - it's too cold for them to be out.) Mar 01 08, 5:46 AM

McGruff

Thanks, Baloo, that makes sense. Searching "ice bells", "icebells", "icicle bells", "icicle formations", etc., is producing a lot of pictures but not a good written description of what causes them. Obviously, they exist. I'm wondering if they have some other scientific name we just haven't hit upon. Some more images: http://www.unidan.net/gallery/12.html http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2095781 http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsphoto-/2158815617/ http://www.dphoto.us/forumphotos/showphoto.php/photo/36504 http://www.treknature.com/viewphotos.php?l=3&p=86654 Lots of pics of ice formations in one place: http://www.pbase.com/455rocket/ice&page=all Mar 01 08, 10:39 AM

scalar

Thanks to both of you. Good old FunTrivia Answers! The great pictures show that these are indeed a legitimate phenomenon. I emailed the epod poster for more info, which I will share if it comes. I got fooled by the lack of any Google return on the subject, but Google did find this post in under an hour the morning I posted it. Mar 01 08, 1:48 PM