A difference in the electromagnetic properties of D2O and H2O ice revealed by resonance measurements

The dielectric parameters of H₂O and D₂O ice samples were studied by a resonance technique in the region of 6 GHz. The ratio of the resonance curve halfwidths at half maximum was measured for light and heavy ice in the temperature range from 0 to ?130°C. The temperature dependences of the resonance peak asymmetry of the two types of ice are qualitatively different. The ratio of the higher-frequency halfwidths at half maximum to the lower-frequency one plotted versus temperature exhibits a positive slope for light ice and a negative slope for heavy ice. It is suggested that the difference reflects the different quantum statistics of the hydrogen and deuterium nuclei in ice.