This is the view of some researchers, claiming that a snowflake falling on water produces a high-frequency sound of 50 to 200 KHz, which is inaudible to humans (ultrasound). This sound reaches a peak and then quiets down. All this lasts for one ten-thousandth of a second.
This phenomenon was discovered about 15 years ago but was not subjected to research. It was brought to the attention of biologists in Alaska, who used sonar to track salmon migrations. The sound of falling snow drowned out the signals sent by the fish, so they had to stop their observations.
The phenomenon was explained in the New Scientists journal. When a snowflake falls on the water, there are only faint sounds below the surface. But when it begins to melt, there is a suction of water caused by the phenomenon of hairiness. At this time, air bubbles are released from the surface of the snowflake or trapped by the water. The bubbles vibrate, trying to reach a state of equilibrium, and at the same time send out high-frequency sound waves.
