Radiation-induced premelting of ice at silica interfaces

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Aug 28;103(9):095502. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.095502. Epub 2009 Aug 24.

Abstract

The existence of surface and interfacial melting of ice below 0 degrees C has been confirmed by many different experimental techniques. Here we present a high-energy x-ray reflectivity study of the interfacial melting of ice as a function of both temperature and x-ray irradiation dose. We found a clear increase of the thickness of the quasiliquid layer with the irradiation dose. By a systematic x-ray study, we have been able to unambiguously disentangle thermal and radiation-induced premelting phenomena. We also confirm the previously announced very high water density (1.25 g/cm(3)) within the emerging quasiliquid layer.