Replicating is an easy way to get some data of ice crystals during a diamond dust halo display.

For replicating you need glass plates and a acrylic spray. Replicating is almost that simple! However, it is not so easy after all. There is lots of things which can go wrong.

How to make a ice crystal replica:

1. You have spotted a diamond dust display! Now cool down your replica glasses and spray. Do not cool your spray can too much or it will not work when you need it.
2. When you are inside the crystal cloud take a replica glass and spray a thin layer of acrylic on it.
3. Wave the glass through air for a minute or two. You are now sampling ice crystals. Write time of sampling and its duration in your notebook. Make also notes about halos visible during sampling.
4. Put you glass in a dry and cold place and let it dry. Place should be well ventilated.
5. Make more replicas during different stage of the display.
6. After the glass is dry after hour or several hours, time will depent on used spray, you can take your replica inside and study it.

A tip: attach a paper notes with ID numbers on your replicating glasses beforehand! When you

spray acryll on the glass, the ID number will be covered too and does not get lost.
Small dots in this glass are prints of ice crystals on acryl.

Afterwards replica is easy to study with a microscope and photograph or count different ice crystals which have made their prints on acryl spray. Best thing is that you can look and photograph replica inside.
 

Biggest problem with replica is the fact that "ice crystals" in the replica are only a prints of true ice crystals. You can try to cover the glass after sampling with second layer of spray and hope that you manage to get 3D replica. Other minus is that inner structures of ice crystals does not show up in replicas.

A plate ice crystal print on replica photographed with a microscope.

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© Jarmo Moilanen 2005