Freezing ocean waves off the US

A quick photographer captures a fascinating scene when not completely off the coast of Massachusetts, USA.

Cold air entered the East Coast of the United States, creating a rare phenomenon in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the Slurpee wave , the Science reported yesterday. The mid-air freezing waves are not only beautiful but also able to surf, according to photographer Jonathan Nimerfroh. "You can surf on soft tape as if they are moving waves," Nimerfroh said.

Slurpee waves rushed to shore in February 2015.(Video: Smithsonianmag.com).

Nimerfroh is fortunate to have the opportunity to witness this phenomenon."With the negative weather last week, I know that the Slurpee wave will reappear in Nantucket. No doubt, on the morning of January 2, I drove to Nobadeer beach and they were there. " , Nimerfroh said.

Nimerfroh captured the scene while his two friends surfed on the slow moving ice. The temperature at sea is -11 degrees Celsius, much lower than the freezing temperature of seawater of -2 degrees Celsius. Under negative conditions, ice crystals begin to form in ocean waves, according to the ocean Carin Ashjian at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

The freezing ocean wave is not complete in Nantucket on January 2.(Photo: Jonathan Nimerfroh).

Nimerfroh said freezing waves of this type are not rare."Slurpee waves are something you can only meet once in your life. I think I'm lucky to see them twice," the photographer said. The first time Nimerfroh saw frozen sea waves was not completely in February 2015.

Researchers confirm that frozen sea waves rarely occur. The ice school Erin Pettit of the University of Alaska confirmed that she had never witnessed this phenomenon because splashing water often broke ice. Not only is it rare, freezing waves disappear very quickly. Nimerfroh said the ice wave melted after about three hours.