Dear Dr. Pasquier,

I would like to thank you for submission of the revised manuscript, and also the two reviewers for their careful read and comments that led to substantial improvements. The use of HOLIMO to relate the freezing of supercooled large droplet to high concentrations of small ice particles is an important contribution to the field. That SLDs and high ice crystal concentrations appear to go hand-in-hand has long been recognized but the explanation has been somewhat mysterious. In my view this paper will help other researchers solidify their understanding of the problem.

To this end, there are two things that I would like to see included in the document, although I leave it up to the authors as to whether either is done. The first is that it appears that INPs are not necessarily a primary mechanism determining ice crystal concentrations in the Arctic. It suggests the focus of future study should perhaps be secondary ice crystal production mechanisms. More emphatic statements to this effect in the abstract and conclusions may be warranted.

A second item that may be desirable is to do some back-of-the-envelope calculations to determine what magnitude and rate of splinter production would be required to account for the HOLIMO observations. For example, line 285 to 289 establish a "likely explanation" that looks like it could be easily tested or constrained with a simple differential equation leading to exponential growth subject to depletion of available SLDs. Supplementing a little mathematics with a cartoon might help readers better understand the jump from correlation to causation, such that parameterizations could eventually be developed.

I look forward to the revision, and also hope acknowledgment can be given in the paper to the reviewers.

Best regards,

Tim Garrett

Dear Dr. Pasquier,

I'm sorry, just one last technical correction. The English is cumbersome in the last sentence of the abstract, a sentence that I think is important and deserves to be written in the active voice. Also, INP isn't defined. My suggestion.

Although ice nucleating aerosol particles may be necessary for the initial freezing of water droplets, the ice crystal number concentration is frequently determined by secondary production mechanisms.

Regards,

Tim Garrett