December 2020 • Nebraskaland 35
Sometimes, I find insects, seeds
or other little treasures encased in
ice. Other times, I enjoy exploring
the shorelines and other edges
where ice freezes, thaws and
refreezes, forming intricate lines
and designs. Those options,
though, pale in comparison to my
favorite subjects: ice bubbles.
I've spent many happy hours
wandering across the ice with my
eyes pointed downward, searching
for bubbles. Some might call
that eccentric or strange. I prefer
"peculiar," but either way, it sure
beats sedentary boredom. Sure,
it's cold, and I am always worried
about having 4 inches of clear,
solid ice, but the fresh air and
exercise is perfect. Plus, I try to
stick to shallow wetlands or pond
edges where the water is only a
few feet deep.
Besides enjoying the aesthetic
beauty of frozen bubbles, I also
like trying to figure out the science
behind what I'm seeing. I think I
understand the basics, but I can't
always decipher the chemical and
physical processes that form those
little capsules of air within the ice.
I'll try to share what I've gleaned
from reading and talking to other
scientists, but I know there are
nuances I haven't yet grasped.
The Science
To start with, water has in it
a lot of gases, including oxygen,
carbon dioxide and methane.
Oxygen is released by actively
respiring plants. Carbon dioxide
is a byproduct of carbon-based
life forms like plants and animals
being broken down by aquatic
bacteria and other microbes.
Methane is produced when that
same decomposition happens in
the soil beneath the water, where
low levels of oxygen (anaerobic
