A frost or ice quake (known formally as cryoseism) is phenomenon that occurs in cold weather under certain circumstances.
As water freezes it expands. Frozen ground or ice that expands to a certain point develops pressure that can cause:
(1) a noise (boom, crack, etc)
(2) a tremor which can be recorded on a seismometer
(3) cracks in the ground
Conditions required for a frost quake:
(1) ground that is saturated with water
(2) no more than a few inches of snow (more than 6 inches of snow may have an insulating effect)
(3) sudden drop in temperature to below 0°F (-17.8°C)
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Specialty: Emergency Medicine
