Observation of a Plasma Analogue of the Mpemba Effect

The processes of freezing of water droplets sitting on a substrate after exposure to nanosecond spark discharges have been experimentally studied. It has been found that the droplets subjected to spark discharge treatment freeze much earlier than those unexposed to discharges. The analogy of the observed processes with the well-known Mpemba effect is noted. A qualitative explanation is given for the observed effect: rapid freezing is due to hydrated electrons, which are formed upon contact of water with plasma and play the role of crystallization centers.