Comments on V-shaped snow crystals observed in Arctic Canada

During the observation of peculiar shaped snow crystals in our Arctic Expedition (Magono, 1978), we observed V-shaped snow crystals (Two-arms skeleton ice crystals) reported by Yamashita (1971). All of his data, however, were obtained from laboratory experiments using a large cloud chamber. Based on his experimental results he concluded that the natural snow crystal designated as "Complicated side planes", of Fig. 158 in Nakaya's book (1954) was the same kind of two-arms skeleton ice crystal obtained in his experiments. A closely similar natural snow crystal as seen in Fig. 158 in Nakaya's book was discovered by Nakata in South Sakhalin and the crystal was adopted as Fig. 159 in the same book. However, no reports regarding this type of snow crystal are available from the Antarctica or in the Arctic area since that time. This paper describes some considerations about the natural V-shaped snow crystals observed in Arctic Canada during our 1977 Arctic Expedition.