Solidification of a rivulet : Temperature fields

We study experimentally the solidification of a water rivulet flowing down an inclined plane cooled to subzero temperatures. The system reaches ultimately a stationary state where the water continues to flows on top of the solidified structure. The ice exhibits a surprising linear geometry, with distance from the injection point. Thermal convection from the constant water supply plays a role in the establishment of the static ice shape. The resolution of the thermal problem enables to recover the geometry of the ice structure. The comparison between theoretical resolution of the thermal problem and the measurements taken from an infrared camera, shows very good agreements, validating the thermal boundary layer model.