Washington: Talking about the Winter Olympic Games, the snowy mountain ranges, frozen ice fields and players competing in the extreme cold come to mind. This is why the host cities of the Winter Olympic Games tend to be the ones that receive an average of 300 inches or more of snow per year. However, the mountains surrounding the competition sites for the Beijing Winter Olympics are brown and green and have little to no snow.
The region usually receives only a few inches of snow in winter. This means that the ice that basically all athletes are competing on will be man-made. I am an atmospheric scientist who specializes in mountain weather and snow. I am also the founder of a snowmaking startup and an avid skier. There are differences between natural and artificial snow, and it will be interesting to see if these differences have any effect on competition. Although both artificial snow and natural snow are frozen water, most skiers and snowboarders are able to recognize this immediately. that the two are very different.
Traditional snowmaking uses high-pressure water, compressed air, and special nozzles to blow tiny liquid droplets into the air that then freeze as they drop to the ground. But making ice is not as simple as making sure the air is sufficiently cold. Pure water doesn’t freeze until it cools down to about -40 F (-40 degrees C). It is simply the microscopic suspended particles in water that freeze it at 32 F (0 degrees). These particles, known as ice nuclei, help form ice crystals. Without these particles, it is difficult for water to turn into ice.
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Different particles can increase or decrease the freezing temperature depending on their specific molecular configuration. The two best ice nuclei are silver iodide and a protein produced by the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae. Most snowmaking systems add a commercial form of bacterial protein to the water to ensure that most of the tiny droplets freeze before they hit the ground. Sliding natural ice on man-made ice begins as a tiny ice crystal on an ice nucleus in a cloud. As the crystal falls through the air, it gradually grows into a six-sided snowflake. In comparison, man-made ice freezes faster than a drop of water. This ice consists of billions of tiny spherical balls of ice.
It may look like natural snow on a ski run, but there is a big “feel” difference between natural and artificial snow. Due to the fact that small balls of ice are tightly packed together – and some of them may not stay frozen until they touch the ground – artificial snow often feels hard and icy. On the other hand, fresh natural “powdered” snow gives skiers and snowboarders an almost weightless feeling. This is in large part because natural ice crystals tend to pile up very scattered—like a fresh layer of powder, consisting of 95% or more air. Fresh natural snow is a favorite of skiers. Olympic skiers get a different experience. Racers want to be able to glide as quickly as possible and use their sharp edges to make powerful, tight turns.
The dense, icy conditions of artificial snow are actually better in this regard. In fact, race organizers often add liquid water to natural ice race courses that will freeze and ensure a durable, consistent surface for racers. Another consideration is the fact that natural snow storms create dull, flat lights and low visibility – difficult conditions for running or jumping. Heavy natural snowfall can often cause ski races to be canceled, as was the case during the snowy 1998 Nagano Games. For runners, clear skies and artificial snow provide benefits there as well. But hard man-made ice has its disadvantages. Freestyle skiers and snowboarders who jump or glide off the ground prefer the softer surface of natural snow for safety reasons.
The same is true of Nordic skiers, who recently flagged the dangers of artificial snow as icy, hard surfaces in the event of accidents, which can lead to more injuries. Imitating Nature While Olympic athletes have mixed snow needs, for skiing, natural snow is far superior. Due to the crystal filled with air, it is softer and more pleasant to ski or snowboard. The dry, barren mountains that hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics aren’t exactly the ideal venue for skiing. But thanks to the science of snowmaking, athletes compete on artificial snow. Sports fans can be thankful for the technology that allows them to see the exploits of players competing in skiing and snowboarding events. (agency)