Ice XXIX – excerpt – by Mike Gorden (Leseprobe)

Kain Waters paid a high price for his PhD. Its subject (water) was as dry as a bone. He searched for new modifications of ice like carbon with its graphite and diamond modification. Water in solid form can build different modifications also. Not only Ice I, which we all know covering the surface of waters in winter or flurries around as snow. Multifold modifications can be produced using high pressure.

Just as graphite and diamond these modifications differed strongly in their properties. Some have higher densities, some are even solid at 50°C. All modifications were instable at normal pressure and decomposed or melted immediately.

Kains job was to treat water with different combinations of pressure and temperature in a hydraulic press. The resulting modifications of ice and their properties should be characterised by him. This was exhausting, thus so far he hasn’t explored anything new.

Today was less boring than all the other days. The old hydraulic press was replaced with a brandnew one. This was a result of a donation his professor has applied for. Dr. Mark Smith has been somewhat a celebrity in his field of work, thus in better times sponsors were lined up at his door. Meanwhile he was forced to make both ends meet. So he was proud of his acquisition.

The new press was an experimental prototype. It can predict to reach eminently high pressure using a new (explosive) blow-up-technique. This tricky bypass of natural laws should make it possible to gain and explore more than the seventeen modifications of ice which were currently known.

That was the idea of Dr. Mark Smith, standing tall with broad shoulders, in front of Kain. He supervised each movement of the workers, not hesitating to release comments with sharp tongue, which was usually being the result upon finding work done inappropriately.

»How can you be so damn small-minded?« he just grumbled. »A blind man with a pole can even see that it won’t fit in t… oh it fits though.«

Kains suggestion to wait until everything was ready and adjusted before critiquing was not received enthusiastically.
»You can’t rate that yet, Waters. This issue is much too important to leave it to amateurs.«

According to Dr. Smith all people except himself were amateurs. If it were up to Kain, he would have gone to another Professor but he had not choice in the matter. However since his own merits were only middle-rated, he was happy to have at least found a position.

His problem wasn’t the lack of assiduity. He had missed certain sparks of inspiration to find the hidden shortcuts on his way, or solving problems in an unique way staying in the thoughts of a professor in a positive way.

He was always happy as the day ended and he could drive back to his shared flat. His income as postgraduate was meagre and he welcomed the opportunity to reside inexpensively, because the rent in downtown Chicago was so high.
Kain entered the lab anxiously the next day. To his surprise the hydraulic press stood spick and span. The technicians seemed to have even cleaned-up after their work. Dr. Smith was already there and played devotedly on the controls as if he built it up by himself.

»The blow-up-unit produces a pandemonium but it looks as if I could achieve new insights during the next weeks.« he said affably. »The pressure we’ll achieve may even break some previous records.«

Kain heard such promises with scepticism but he’d be disappointed in a positive way. The press topped the pressures he already gained with the old press, without any trouble not even using the blow-up-unit at all.

Then the day came. His Professor stood besides him, both wearing sound isolating headsets as he pushed the button for the blow-up-unit the first time. The detonation was deafening even through the headsets. After a split second it was over. The records showed a pressure of 45 Kilobar.

»Wow, we’re in unchartered waters now!« Dr. Smith said enthused. »Look at the spectra. It seems that I have just discovered Ice XVIII.«

Kain felt energized like never. Now all his hard work had paid off, everything was making sense.

»I’m leaving you to the pleasures of work now.« Dr. Smith said emotionlessly. »Characterise everything that you find from now on. I am sure that my next paper will be result in a sensation!«

Kain, hoping to at least get mentioned in the published paper, began to work. After he discovered that wearing ear plugs under the head set, the noise of the detonations became bearable. He started to have fun with his work.

One to two times a week he discovered a new high-pressure modification of ice from now on. Soon the numbering of the modifications discovered was beyond 25. Some modifications were solid at room temperature or above and most of them were denser than water.

Then the day came when he discovered Ice XXIX. It was a Friday afternoon. The first thing Kain did was to characterise the sample in the normal manner. The modification generated at pressures above 100 Kilobar, was solid at room temperature and had a density of 1.35 – the highest density ever found on a modification of ice.

»Look how short the hydrogen bonds are.« his professor said after he called him to show him the spectra. »That might be a very stable modification.«

With a »So, now I have to reach my flight. You surely can manage that alone.« he left the lab.

Kain experienced soon how stable the modification was. While pouring the sample into the storage vessel it jingled like glass and the liquid started to freeze immediately, from the bottom up!

That was impossible! A stable high-pressure modification of ice couldn’t exist. He rubbed his eyes, but the phenomenon still existed. In the meantime, the whole entire liquid was frozen. He touched the glass carefully with one finger. It was warm, nearly hot.

His first thought was to tell the discovery to his Professor, so he called his mobile. He only reached the mailbox. Should he leave a message? Something in his mind hesitated, causing him to hang up. A myriad of fear grew up in him. This discovery might become a nightmare, if placed in the wrong hands.

He had better to hush up this mishap. Pouring it in the sink was impossible for a given reason. He had to melt it first and destroy this monstrous modification. With trembling hands, he put the vessel on a heater and turned on the control to maximum. Endless minutes elapsed. Then the modification started to melt. 15 Minutes later the content of the vessel was normal water again, slightly steaming. He held a thermometer into the liquid. 88°C was a scary high melting point. He brought it to boil and dumped it into the sink.