ice detector

{{Short description|Instrument measuring presence of ice on a surface}}

An ice detector is an instrument that detects the presence of ice on a surface. Ice detectors are used to identify the presence of icing conditions and are commonly used in aviation,{{Cite journal|last1=Jackson|first1=Darren G.|last2=Goldberg|first2=Joshua I.|date=2007-09-24|title=Ice Detection Systems: A Historical Perspective|url=https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-3325|journal=SAE Technical Paper Series|volume=1|language=en|location=Warrendale, PA|publisher=SAE International|doi=10.4271/2007-01-3325}} unmanned aircraft,{{Cite journal|title=Unsettled Topics in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Icing (EPR2020008 Research Report) - SAE Mobilus|url=https://saemobilus.sae.org/content/EPR2020008/|access-date=2021-02-14|website=saemobilus.sae.org|year=2020|doi=10.4271/epr2020008|last1=Hann|first1=Richard|last2=Johansen|first2=Tor|s2cid=226200723 |hdl=11250/3113980|hdl-access=free}} marine vessels,{{Cite journal|last1=Overland|first1=J. E.|last2=Pease|first2=C. H.|last3=Preisendorfer|first3=R. W.|last4=Comiskey|first4=A. L.|date=December 1986|title=Prediction of Vessel Icing|journal=Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology|volume=25|issue=12|pages=1793–1806|doi=10.1175/1520-0450(1986)025<1793:povi>2.0.co;2|bibcode=1986JApMe..25.1793O|issn=0733-3021|doi-access=free}} wind energy,{{Cite journal|last1=Homola|first1=Matthew C.|last2=Nicklasson|first2=Per J.|last3=Sundsbø|first3=Per A.|date=2006-11-01|title=Ice sensors for wind turbines|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165232X06000760|journal=Cold Regions Science and Technology|language=en|volume=46|issue=2|pages=125–131|doi=10.1016/j.coldregions.2006.06.005|bibcode=2006CRST...46..125H |issn=0165-232X}} and power lines.{{Cite book|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-1-4020-8531-4|title=Atmospheric Icing of Power Networks|date=2008|publisher=Springer Netherlands|isbn=978-1-4020-8530-7|editor-last=Farzaneh|editor-first=Masoud|location=Dordrecht|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-8531-4}}

Ice detection can be done with direct and indirect methods. Direct methods identify the presence of atmospheric icing conditions, i.e. the presence of supercooled water droplets. Indirect methods infer the presence of icing conditions by either detecting ice accretions{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Glossary of Meteorology|url=https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Ice_accretion|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}} on a surface, or by changed vehicle performance behavior.{{Cite journal|last1=Deiler|first1=Christoph|last2=Fezans|first2=Nicolas|date=2020-01-29|title=Performance-Based Ice Detection Methodology|url=https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/1.C034828|journal=Journal of Aircraft|volume=57|issue=2|pages=209–223|doi=10.2514/1.C034828|s2cid=220383280 }}