Frozen horses of Lake Ladoga

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Frozen horses of Lake Ladoga

Posted: 12/4/2012 5:35:30 PM EDT

A side note from the Russian -Finnish war

From the writer Malaparte comes the tale of the tragic death of a thousand horses in the icy waters of Lake Ladoga in Russia during the winter of 1942. In trying to escape a forest fire caused by aerial bombardments, a hoard of horses jumped into the lake. Despite a recent cold snap, the lake was not frozen solid. As the horses desperately swam toward the other shore, their heads held above the water, a loud noise could be heard: the water suddenly froze, encasing the animals in ice.

The next morning, the sun shone down upon the rigid manes, covered in transparent icicles. Immobilized, each head was a sculpture that in other circumstances would have been a thing of beauty.

Supercooling: When cooled very rapidly, pure water can reach temperatures below its freezing point without solidifying for quite a long time. But toss a few grains of sand into it, and the water will freeze instantaneously. Likewise, water that is heated very quickly will not necessarily come to a boil when it reaches 100 degrees Celsius. This state is very unstable.

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:29:11 PM EDT

[#1]

True.

Chill a bottle of water or soda in your freezer. Take it out when it's cold but not yet frozen.

Tap on the bottle, or crack the cap. If it's supercooled, it'll ice up in seconds.

Been there, done it many times.

The poor horses. What a way to go. Suddenly frozen alive into ice and not a damned thing you can do about it.

CJ

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:38:49 PM EDT

[#2]

Thats crazy shit.

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:40:32 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
True.

Chill a bottle of water or soda in your freezer. Take it out when it's cold but not yet frozen.

Tap on the bottle, or crack the cap. If it's supercooled, it'll ice up in seconds.

Been there, done it many times.

The poor horses. What a way to go. Suddenly frozen alive into ice and not a damned thing you can do about it.

CJ

Many Quick-E-Marts keep their coolers at just the right temp so you can do that. Walk by, shake the bottle and watch it freeze.

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:42:34 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

Thats crazy shit.

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:43:40 PM EDT

[#5]

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:48:02 PM EDT

[#6]

We have this refrigerator at work that will do this to any drink you put in it, but not quite freeze. I often put in brisk teas, and just as you open it they turn into slushies like you get at convenient stores.

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:53:47 PM EDT

[#7]

Crazy!

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:54:03 PM EDT

[#8]

Bullshit.

Moving water won't freeze. That is why there are bubblers at docks on lakes that freeze.

Posted: 12/4/2012 7:00:09 PM EDT

[#9]

I showed the kids the effect with bottles of water in my truck last winter 5 below zero and liquid. I drank some, put the cap on, shook it, then took the cap off and inverted it quickly and nothing comes out. The horses might have been trapped in slush like ice that didn't let them swim and then frozen into place.

Posted: 12/4/2012 7:06:08 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Bullshit.

Moving water won't freeze. That is why there are bubblers at docks on lakes that freeze.

You mean that rivers never freeze? Sorry, but you're wrong. It just has to be cold enough to overcome the extra energy present due to the motion of the water molecules. But then again, any molecule that is above absolute zero in temperature (0 deg K / -273.15 deg C, or 0 deg R / -459.67 deg F) is moving somewhat.

Posted: 12/4/2012 7:13:44 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
A side note from the Russian -Finnish war

From the writer Malaparte comes the tale of the tragic death of a thousand horses in the icy waters of Lake Ladoga in Russia during the winter of 1942. In trying to escape a forest fire caused by aerial bombardments, a hoard of horses jumped into the lake. Despite a recent cold snap, the lake was not frozen solid. As the horses desperately swam toward the other shore, their heads held above the water, a loud noise could be heard: the water suddenly froze, encasing the animals in ice.

The next morning, the sun shone down upon the rigid manes, covered in transparent icicles. Immobilized, each head was a sculpture that in other circumstances would have been a thing of beauty.

http://www.hunt101.com/watermark.php?file=782145

Supercooling: When cooled very rapidly, pure water can reach temperatures below its freezing point without solidifying for quite a long time. But toss a few grains of sand into it, and the water will freeze instantaneously. Likewise, water that is heated very quickly will not necessarily come to a boil when it reaches 100 degrees Celsius. This state is very unstable.

That is a dramatic story but I'm not so sure it would work that way.

The lake itself could flash freeze like that but the horses weren't at near-freezing temps if they were alive.

Then again, Russian winters are freaky so who knows...

I'd love to see pics even if it's sad to see dead horses....

Posted: 12/4/2012 7:29:24 PM EDT

[#12]

The skeptic is from Georgia!

In Alaska you can see rivers start to freeze from the bottom up in permafrost areas. It is freaky looking at ice covered rocks under the water.

You can drive over a bed of round cobble stones during the summer, no problem. When it gets cold they will be coated with ice and you can sink up to the axles when they move away under your tires. Fun times getting Steve over with the 644 loader to pull you out...

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Frozen horses of Lake Ladoga

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