Anomalous Heat Capacities of Supercooled Water and Heavy Water

Abstract

Emulsification makes it possible to supercool water to the homogeneous nucleation temperature. Accordingly, the heat capacities of water and deuterium oxide have been determined from the respective equilibrium melting points to —38° and to —34°C, respectively. Two methods, drift calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry, have been used. Both methods reveal a striking rise in the constant-pressure heat capacity below —20°C. This indication of an apparently cooperative behavior should serve to test current theories of water, most notably perhaps, the pair potential model of Ben-Naim and Stillinger. Some implications of possible meteorological significance are mentioned.