Phase equilibria and point defects in ice

Abstract

Point defects play an important role in determining the physical properties of ice. They may be treated as if they were chemical species. It is shown that the chemical potentials of point defects in crystals can be determined from measured distribution coefficients of impurities at the crystal-melt interface. These potentials depend on impurity concentration. Thus they allow to determine the formation energy and concentration of defects in the crystal.