The growth rate of 3He crystals

The authors have measured the relaxation of the shape of 3He crystals under the effect of gravity and surface tension, close to the minimum in their melting curve at Tmin = 0.32 K. A growth rate is deduced, which is found to be at a maximum at Tmin when the latent heat is zero. They interpret this maximum value (k = 0.18 ± 0.04 sec/m) as the intrinsic mobility of the liquid-solid interface and compare it with existing theories. They also consider on which side the latent heat is released during growth, and how it may cross the liquid-solid interface