A brinicle (brine icicle, also known as an ice stalactite) is a downward-growing hollow tube of ice enclosing a plume of descending brine that is formed beneath developing sea ice.

Jan 9, 2025 · A brinicle is a hollow tube of ice that forms under sea ice, also known as a brine icicle. It occurs when seawater freezes, causing the salt to concentrate and form very cold, salty water.

Nov 9, 2023 · But if you ever do, there's a chance that you may come upon one of the more bizarre sights in nature: a brinicle. Basically, a brinicle — sometimes also called an ice stalactite — is a …

Nov 15, 2025 · A brinicle, or “ice stalactite,” forms when extremely cold, highly saline water from sea ice sinks into relatively warmer ocean water, creating a fragile, downward-growing tube of ice. This …

Jun 5, 2017 · As this cold brine reaches warmer seawater below, the water freezes around it, creating the descending tube of ice known as a brinicle.

A brinicle (brine icicle, also known as an ice stalactite) is a downward-growing hollow tube of ice enclosing a plume of descending brine that is formed beneath developing sea ice.

Nov 26, 2025 · A brinicle is an extraordinary natural phenomenon that occurs beneath the polar sea ice, often described as the “ice finger of death.” This structure is essentially a descending column of ice …

When these ice crystals form a tube around a descending column of brine, a brinicle is formed. The word brinicle is a contraction of “brine icicle.” They are also called “sea stalactites” due to their …

Brinicles, often referred to as the “Ice Finger of Death,” are rare underwater structures that form beneath sea ice in polar regions. They are essentially hollow tubes of ice that extend downward into the water …

A brinicle is formed when this sea ice cracks and leaks out the saline water to the open oceans. As the brine is heavier than the water around it, it sinks to the ocean floor while freezing the relatively fresh …