dmc@otto.yerkes.uchicago.edu (Dave Cole) (10/25/90)
From: dmc@otto.yerkes.uchicago.edu (Dave Cole) In article <1990Oct24.012029.19707@cbnews.att.com> deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) writes: >In article <1990Oct19.032216.11798@cbnews.att.com> gabriele@riverdale.toronto.edu (Mark Gabriele ) writes: >>test Charlie was to be a deep-water burst. Test Charlie was never >>conducted. It is interesting to note that they physicists present theorized >>that the pressure wave from the deep-water blast would actually create a ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>large block of ice as one of its effects. >> > > No flame, but I find this hard to believe since water is one of the > few substances which is actually densest as a liquid (at 4 degrees > C., with one atmosphere pressure). Perhaps the scientists in question ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > forgot about the hydrogen bonding properties of water.... Perhaps you missed the idea that the pressure wave from the explosion would produce pressures well in excess of 1 atm? Actually, water at 1 atm only goes through a local minimum in density at 4 C; as you continue to cool ice, it eventually reaches even greater densities. However, even at 20 C, if the pressure is raised significantly, water will turn to ice. Whether or not it *stays* ice is another question entirely. For a tale of a new breed of ice which is more dense than water at STP, I refer you to "Mother Night" by Kurt Vonnegut. Dave Cole dmc@otto.yerkes.uchicago.edu