Articles | Volume 15, issue 24
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-13819-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-13819-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Dec 2015
Research article |
| 16 Dec 2015
Thermodynamic derivation of the activation energy for ice nucleation
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A Simple Model of the Energy Threshold for Snowball Chambers M. Szydagis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10020081
- Demonstration of neutron radiation-induced nucleation of supercooled water M. Szydagis et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CP01083B
- The Role of Organic Aerosol in Atmospheric Ice Nucleation: A Review D. Knopf et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.7b00120
- Stochastic nucleation processes and substrate abundance explain time-dependent freezing in supercooled droplets D. Knopf et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-020-0106-4
- Crystallisation competition between cubic and hexagonal ice structures: molecular-dynamics insight M. Ghaani et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927022.2020.1859110
- Super-cooling effects and solidification of water inside a horizontal cylinder with a rough, sinusoidal surface shape A. Awasthi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2022.104442
- Compression Freezing Kinetics of Water to Ice VII A. Gleason et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.025701
- Understanding the Dehydration Stress in Lipid Vesicles by a Combined Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Dielectric Spectroscopy Study A. Gennaro et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.201900986
- Classical nucleation theory of immersion freezing: sensitivity of contact angle schemes to thermodynamic and kinetic parameters L. Ickes et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-1713-2017
- Molecularly resolved mapping of heterogeneous ice nucleation and crystallization pathways using in-situ cryo-TEM Z. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62900-w
- Recalescence dynamics and solidification of a supercooled melt in a finite domain J. Kyselica et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2020.120048
- On the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of immersion ice nucleation D. Barahona https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17119-2018
- Atmospheric ice nucleation D. Knopf & P. Alpert https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-023-00570-7
- Energetics of ice nucleation in mesoporous titania using positron annihilation spectroscopy M. Thangswamy et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CP06121A
- Bias‐Free Estimation of Ice Nucleation Efficiencies D. Barahona https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086033
- Deposition freezing, pore condensation freezing and adsorption: three processes, one description? M. Lbadaoui-Darvas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10057-2023
- Facile formation of a microporous chitosan hydrogel based on self-crosslinking Y. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TB02736B
- Predictive correlation and mechanistic understanding of ice nucleation in cryoprotective solutions M. Lin et al. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0312183
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A Simple Model of the Energy Threshold for Snowball Chambers M. Szydagis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10020081
- Demonstration of neutron radiation-induced nucleation of supercooled water M. Szydagis et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CP01083B
- The Role of Organic Aerosol in Atmospheric Ice Nucleation: A Review D. Knopf et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.7b00120
- Stochastic nucleation processes and substrate abundance explain time-dependent freezing in supercooled droplets D. Knopf et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-020-0106-4
- Crystallisation competition between cubic and hexagonal ice structures: molecular-dynamics insight M. Ghaani et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927022.2020.1859110
- Super-cooling effects and solidification of water inside a horizontal cylinder with a rough, sinusoidal surface shape A. Awasthi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2022.104442
- Compression Freezing Kinetics of Water to Ice VII A. Gleason et al. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.025701
- Understanding the Dehydration Stress in Lipid Vesicles by a Combined Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Dielectric Spectroscopy Study A. Gennaro et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.201900986
- Classical nucleation theory of immersion freezing: sensitivity of contact angle schemes to thermodynamic and kinetic parameters L. Ickes et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-1713-2017
- Molecularly resolved mapping of heterogeneous ice nucleation and crystallization pathways using in-situ cryo-TEM Z. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62900-w
- Recalescence dynamics and solidification of a supercooled melt in a finite domain J. Kyselica et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2020.120048
- On the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of immersion ice nucleation D. Barahona https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-17119-2018
- Atmospheric ice nucleation D. Knopf & P. Alpert https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-023-00570-7
- Energetics of ice nucleation in mesoporous titania using positron annihilation spectroscopy M. Thangswamy et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CP06121A
- Bias‐Free Estimation of Ice Nucleation Efficiencies D. Barahona https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086033
- Deposition freezing, pore condensation freezing and adsorption: three processes, one description? M. Lbadaoui-Darvas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10057-2023
- Facile formation of a microporous chitosan hydrogel based on self-crosslinking Y. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TB02736B
- Predictive correlation and mechanistic understanding of ice nucleation in cryoprotective solutions M. Lin et al. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0312183
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 01 Jun 2026
Short summary
This paper describes the process of the transfer of water molecules between liquid and the ice during the early stages of ice formation. Using concepts of nonreversible thermodynamics, it is shown that the activation energy can be defined in terms of the bulk self-diffusivity of water and the probability of interface transfer. The application of this model to classical nucleation theory shows good agreement of measured nucleation rates with experimental results for temperatures as low as 190K.
This paper describes the process of the transfer of water molecules between liquid and the ice...
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