Dendritic growth of snow crystals

The hypothesis that allows the interpretation of dendritic growth of a snow crystal in terms of diffusion-limited aggregation is criticized. The results of simulation of growth of quasi-two-dimensional crystals in two- and three-dimensional media based on the classical two-parametric model of diffusion-limited aggregation are used as an argument in this criticism. It is established that the model dimensionality considerably influences morphology of the grown crystal. The mechanism of dendritic growth of a snow crystal in which the main part is played by the surface processes at the ice/water interface is suggested. (c) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.