The icy “Finger of Death” or ‘Brinicle’ is a weapon of death in the Arctic! Video. Freezing Stars or Icy Hand of Death Icy Finger of Death or Brynicle

A stunning and slightly terrifying phenomenon was captured on video and called the “icy finger of death.”

Cinematographers Hugh Miller and Doug Anderson became the discoverers of a previously unknown phenomenon during their stay in Antarctica. Above the surface of the ocean, they discovered ice stalactites that penetrate the depths of the ocean in the form of a stream of extremely cold (almost frozen) and very salty water. Scientists called this phenomenon “brinicles,” and the operators who observed it dubbed this phenomenon the “icy finger of death.”

This is what happens to animals underwater:

The water of this jet has a much higher density than all the rest of the ocean water surrounding it, and besides, the temperature of this jet is much lower, it colder than ice, to put it simply. How this is possible, they cannot explain. No one had encountered such a phenomenon before and no one even knew about the possibility of such a thing!

This "Ice Finger of Death" kills all living things it touches, turning everything into ice. This can be clearly seen in the fantastic video provided by the BBC. This chilling, rapid stream of salt water, like a stormy intra-oceanic river, rushes from the surface to the very depths of the ocean and sweeps away everything in its path. All ocean animals ( starfish and other ocean organisms) gradually fall into this ice trap.

This phenomenon occurs in Arctic subglacial waters due to different temperatures freezing of water with different salinity. Outwardly, it looks like the unexpected growth of an ice icicle, which, upon reaching the bottom, turns into an icy stream. Marine animals that encounter a brynicle on their way quickly become covered with a crust of ice and freeze.

The idea of the existence of Brainicle was first proposed back in 1974, but it was only proven in 2011. BBC cameramen accidentally filmed this phenomenon, and to date this is the only video footage of Brainicle.

Full video below the cut...

New English term"brinicle" from "brine" ( ocean water) and "icicle" (icicle) denote a column of water in the ocean, saltier and denser than surrounding water, and very cold - colder than ice.

This ice column slowly descends from the surface of the ocean to the very bottom (here it is Southern Ocean) and freezes everything in its path, including the inhabitants of the ocean floor.

Cinematographers Hugh Miller and Doug Anderson pioneered a previously unknown phenomenon during their presence in Antarctica. Above the surface of the ocean, filmmakers found ice stalactites that burn through the depths of the ocean in the form of a stream of extremely cold (almost frozen) and very salty water. Scientists called this phenomenon “brinicles,” and the operators who observed it dubbed this phenomenon the “icy finger of death.”

The water of this jet has a much higher density than all the other ocean water surrounding it, and besides, the temperature of this jet is much lower, it is colder than ice, literally speaking. Scientists cannot explain how this is possible. No one had encountered such a phenomenon before and no one even knew about the possibility of such a presence!

It seems that this “Ice Finger of Death” kills every living thing it touches, turning everything into ice. This can be clearly seen in the extraordinary video provided by the BBC. This chilling, rapid stream of salt water, like a stormy intra-oceanic river, rushes from the surface to the very depths of the ocean and sweeps away everything in its path. All ocean animals (starfish and other ocean organisms) fall into this ice trap over and over again.

Near the volcanic Ross Island, where BBC underwater cameras were identified, cameramen were able to find and film 4 ice stalactite, which are created with very high speed and truly make the blood freeze in the veins of those who observe this phenomenon.

"Icicles of Death" represent underwater stalactites. They received this name due to the fact that, forming on the bottom in places where impurities enter the water (these icicles are the center of crystallization), on their way they kill starfish and sea urchins.

Research by biologists has shown that the ice in the “icicles of death” is much more porous than in ice floes, and it carries salts to the surface of the sea.

Scientists do not rule out that these same icicles (another name is brinicles) in the past could have represented something like a “chemical garden” (they grew in it organic molecules), to be the center of life formation.

Brynicyls could also play the role of hydrothermal vents used in classical theories of the origin of life.

Oceanographer Silje Martin was the first to describe this phenomenon in detail in 1974 ( Seelye Martin). Now, a group of researchers from Spain has published a study on the composition and structure of brynicles, proposing a model for the mechanism of their formation. When salty ocean water freezes, it releases salt to form fresh ice. This excess salt saturates the water remaining on the surface of the ice and in cavities in the ice column.

The result is ice reservoirs containing a high-density, hypersaline solution with a very low freezing point: as salinity increases, this temperature decreases. If the ice cracks, this dense, heavy and extremely cold liquid begins to sink to the bottom in the form of such a deadly stream, freezing all living things in its path. This mass death of starfish caught in the path of the Brynicle greatly impressed the BBC film crew.

Chemistry students are familiar with a popular visual experiment called a “colloidal garden,” in which salts of certain metals are added to a concentrated salt solution and a solid precipitate forms, forming slender branching structures that look like alien plants. Such “gardens” also grow in natural conditions, including at hydrothermal vents - the famous black smokers, where jets of hot water supersaturated with minerals burst out from under the ocean floor under enormous pressure. Scientists believe that the deadly Brainicles have much in common with these “gardens,” despite the fact that the “gardens” of black smokers grow from the bottom up, and the Brainicles grow from the top down.

Moreover, both phenomena are considered key to the first stages of chemical evolution that preceded the origin on Earth biological life. Black smokers in recent years often appear in modern theories origin of life. Who knows, maybe Brainicles could fit into this model - for example, with the emergence of special forms of life on planets covered in ice?

Among the unusual phenomena, I would remind you what it is, and if you remember about snow and ice:

Our planet keeps many unusual secrets. Among them, Brynicle is an amazing process of formation of a specific form of sea ice, about which not much is known yet.

The “Icy Finger of Death” is a stream of freezing water that, having reached the bottom, freezes all living things in its path.

It was first recorded back in 1962. The process of the formation of underwater stalactite was described by oceanographer Silje Martin.

But real confirmation and opportunity to observe this unusual phenomenon scientists received it only in 2011, when in the Arctic waters, cameramen of the BBC film crew Hugues Miller and Doug Anderson filmed it using time-lapse cameras.

Brynicle (from English from brine - brine and icicle - icicle; ice stalactite) is the formation of a form of sea ice when slightly salted (3–5%) ice water meets the ocean layer, oversaturated with salts. As a result, underwater icicles form.

Externally, the brinicle is an ice tube growing from a layer of ice on the surface of the water towards the bottom.

Inside - icy and very salt water, which Brainicle pulls out of sea ice, located above it.

When nucleated, the “finger of death” is very fragile and the walls are thin, but thanks to the constant flow of cold brine, it increases its strength.

Ice has an unusual porous structure.

At favorable conditions this stalactite reaches the bottom and continues to grow along the underwater slopes, like an icy stream.

It stops only after reaching the lowest point of the shelf.

Video: how the “icy finger of death” is formed

The emergence of Brynicle was filmed near Little Razorback Island. This is the first video that gives us the opportunity to see an amazing natural phenomenon that occurs in the cold waters of the world's oceans.

Scientists suggest that in the distant past these same icicles could have represented something like a “chemical garden” - a center for the formation of life, in which organic molecules were formed.

This is a unique phenomenon, but far from the only one - nature is preparing many more discoveries for us in the world low temperatures, and high.

This phenomenon occurs in Arctic subglacial waters due to different freezing temperatures of water with different salinities. Outwardly, it looks like the unexpected growth of an ice icicle, which, upon reaching the bottom, turns into an icy stream. Marine animals that encounter a brynicle on their way quickly become covered with a crust of ice and freeze.

The new English term "brinicle" from "brine" (ocean water) and "icicle" (icicle) refers to a column of water in the ocean that is saltier and denser than the surrounding water, and very cold - colder than ice.

This column of ice slowly descends from the surface of the ocean to the very bottom (here it is the Southern Ocean) and freezes everything in its path, including the inhabitants of the ocean floor.

Near the volcanic island of Ross, where BBC underwater cameras were identified, operators were able to find and film 4 ice stalactites, which are created at a very high speed and truly make the blood freeze in the veins of those who observe this phenomenon.

“Icicles of Death” are underwater stalactites. They received this name due to the fact that, forming on the bottom in places where impurities enter the water (these icicles are the center of crystallization), on their way they kill starfish and sea urchins.

Research by biologists has shown that the ice in the “icicles of death” is much more porous than in ice floes, and it carries salts to the surface of the sea.

Scientists do not rule out that these same icicles (another name is brinicles) in the past could represent something like a “chemical garden” (organic molecules grew in it), and be the center of the formation of life.

Brynicyls could also play the role of hydrothermal vents used in classical theories of the origin of life.

Oceanographer Seelye Martin was the first to describe this phenomenon in detail in 1974. Now, a group of researchers from Spain has published a study on the composition and structure of brynicles, proposing a model for the mechanism of their formation. When salty ocean water freezes, it releases salt to form fresh ice. This excess salt saturates the water remaining on the surface of the ice and in cavities in the ice column.

Moreover, both phenomena are considered key to the first stages of chemical evolution that preceded the emergence of biological life on Earth. Black smokers have often featured in modern theories of the origin of life in recent years. Who knows, maybe Brainicles could fit into this model - for example, with the emergence of special forms of life on planets covered in ice?

Click " Like"and receive best posts on Facebook!

This could only be imagined in a horror film... but, no, nature itself created it.

Amazing and mysterious processes sometimes occur at the bottom of the seas, one of them is the formation of ice “stalactites”, scientists call them “brinicles” (“icicle from ocean water” translated from English), and those who saw this phenomenon with their own eyes, They called it the “icy finger of death.”

The “icy finger of death” can be observed in the polar winter; it probably appears due to temperature changes: the air temperature drops below -18 degrees. C, and the water temperature remains relatively high - about -2 degrees. WITH.

The process goes like this: sea water rises upward, is cooled by icy air and rushes down in streams, simultaneously cooling and freezing more warm water. The water of this jet has a much higher density than all the other ocean water surrounding it, and besides, the temperature of this jet is much lower, it is colder than ice, literally speaking. Scientists cannot explain how this is possible. No one had encountered such a phenomenon before and no one even knew about the possibility of such a presence!

The rate of formation of brinicles is about 30 cm per hour. Often, having reached the bottom, the “ice stalactite” continues to grow, which ends quite disastrously for the inhabitants of the seabed. All ocean animals (starfish and other ocean organisms) fall into this ice trap over and over again. This phenomenon has been known since the 70s of the twentieth century, but only three years ago it was possible to make a video.

Oceanographer Silje Martin was the first to describe this phenomenon in detail in 1974 ( Seelye Martin). Now, a group of researchers from Spain has published a study on the composition and structure of brinicles, proposing a model for the mechanism of their formation. When salty ocean water freezes, it releases salt to form fresh ice. This excess salt saturates the water remaining on the surface of the ice and in cavities in the ice column.

Filmed by underwater cameramen Hugh Miller and Doug Anderson, the brinicle reached the bottom in three and a half hours. This is the first video that gives a complete picture of the amazing natural phenomenon arising in the cold waters of the world's oceans.

Biologists led by Bruno Estebano argue that life on Earth could well have originated in the polar seas in “icicles of death” (underwater structures).

Research by biologists has shown that the ice in the “icicles of death” is much more porous than in ice floes, and it carries salts to the surface of the sea.

Scientists do not rule out that these same icicles in the past could have represented something like a “chemical garden” (organic molecules grew in it), and been the center of the formation of life. Brinicles could also play the role of hydrothermal vents used in classical theories of the origin of life.

Moreover, both phenomena are considered key to the first stages of chemical evolution that preceded the emergence of biological life on Earth. Black smokers have often featured in modern theories of the origin of life in recent years. Who knows, maybe brinicles could fit into this model - for example, with the emergence of special forms of life on planets covered in ice?