They work fine for micrometer-sized particles, but not for bigger particles. In thousands of collisions, we observed no sticking unless there was frost. In a field where debate over theory is sometimes heated, the pioneering Santa Cruz ice experiments have drawn little criticism. And hardly anyone else is running a laboratory experiment, when it comes to planetary formation. Kim Supulver laughs.
People are always impressed.
The ice ball experiments have gained Santa Cruz an international reputation among solar-system scientists. It's been very useful to a whole lot of people trying to understand these things to have a well-parametered experimental model of these inelastic collisions. The work is far from over. Next, Bridges will study the dynamics of glancing collisions with frost. And for Supulver's thesis, she plans to explore the sticking properties of frosts other than water ice.