Explosive ice instability

Explosive ice instability under strong uniaxial compression at high pressures is observed over a wide temperature range from 244 K down to 100 K. The critical dependence of the threshold instability pressure on temperature in the region of expected Ih-II and IX-VI transitions displays features with minima. It is conjectured that explosive instabilities may occur on cosmic bodies such as the Jupiter satellites Europa and Ganymede.