Monday, April 27, 2009

FRIZIONS

Peter Wasilewski studies the magnetic properties of meteorites and rock from the moon and Earth. He's also an artist who creates images called Frizions, using polarised light and ice.
He takes a petri dish of ice in the process of freezing and sandwiches it between two polarising filters. As white light passes through the first filter it polarises, causing the rays to vibrate in the same plane.


Ice crystals split light into two rays which travel at different velocities through the ice in a phenomenon known as birefringence. When the rays are recombined at the second polarising filter there is a phase difference causing the interference needed to create these colours.

The colours are determined by the thickness and lattice structure of the ice. Varying the thickness will produce a variety of patterns.
Although water ice can be found throughout the solar system, the lattice structures vary due to the differing temperatures and pressures of their formation.
Only the ice found on Earth has the correct structure to produce a frizion.

See here for more of Wasilewski's images.

9 comments:

River said...

What is it that causes people to try this kind of stuff? "Oooh, a dish of semi frozen ice. Hmmm wonder what would happen if I put some of it here? On this polarising filter....now, another filter on top, wait a few moments,alright now, let's have a look at it. wow, that's pretty, i'll take a few more photos......."
Luckily for us there are such people in the world.

Brian Hughes said...

"What is it that causes people to try this kind of stuff?"

Drugs and extreme boredom I suspect.

JahTeh said...

River, he was studying pale blue ice samples from the Transantarctic Mountains when he got the idea.

Fleetwood, extreme boredom only happens when nothing happens in one of your trenches. Actually it feels like drugs if you watch the image long enough with your eyes crossed.

Brian Hughes said...

Witchy,

There's always something happening in one of my trenches. A big argument usually or a butty and pie eating session.

Jayne said...

That top photo reminds me of fairy bread.
Yep, as River said - we need more people with weird, inquiring minds like that...otherwise we'll end up all inbred like Liz and Chas :P

R.H. said...

Hullo sweetiepies and oh golly what bass chord reverberations at the RH Temple of Extreme Thought as RH himself pounds St Vinnie Piano so furiously the lid flies off. Yes indeed, entire cabinet coming apart, revealing all workings: hammers, strings, 1045 moving parts. Aye! Great Balls Of Fire! And ha! ha! ha!
But wait!- 2:30 am and I score a live audience: someone's called the police. “Okay Mozart,” they say, “Show's over.”
But it will go on of course, loser shitbag that I am, I could win, but my effort was never for me.

JahTeh said...

Robbert, 2.30 am and I'd have shoved the St. Vinn's noise machine where the sun don't shine.
Restraint, lad, restraint is required in the pursuit of happiness.

Jayne, I try to find things for the enquiring mind of the feral beast even if it drives you to the brink of insanity.

WV animp, definitely RH.

R.H. said...

How unkind.

Well look here, Newport is changing, lots of propriety creeping in: croissant consciousness. The schoolmarm next door has just got herself a little tattoo, to celebrate her kitchen renovation.

Goodness me, What next!

JahTeh said...

Robbert, may one ask where the tattoo is placed? I'd cook food to celebrate a kitchen renovation and you have to stop mentioning food.
Croissants, I love croissants but only with raspberry jam and crispy and Earl Grey Tea.