Clouds formed by ice crystals are known a cirrus clouds. They appear more diffuse and fibrous than water droplet clouds because they contain a wider range of particle sizes and typically grow in weaker upward air currents.
Height and Temperature
Cirrus clouds typically form between 3 and 6 miles above the surface of the Earth. They are always cold, regardless of their location. One recognizable form of cirrus cloud is cirrus fibratus, the wispy, trailing cloud known colloquially as "mares' tails."
Ice Crystals
All ice crystals have the same angles between their faces, regardless of the overall size of the crystal. They refract and reflect light in a particular direction and are responsible for the meteorological phenomena known as halos.
Biological Material
According to research published in the journal Nature Geoscience, ice crystals in clouds also contain bacteria, spores and plants. These biological materials are believed to play a part in the formation of clouds.
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