cryology

Cryology is the science of low-temperature phenomena and their effects on matter and systems. It encompasses the study of physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur at cryogenic temperatures and is used across physics, chemistry, engineering, and biology. In common usage, cryology is sometimes distinguished from cryogenics; cryogenics is the practical production, handling, and application of very low temperatures, while cryology is the broader study of cold phenomena, occasionally overlapping with cryobiology and cryospheric sciences.

Within physics, cryology includes cryophysics and the study of materials properties at low temperatures, such as superconductivity, magnetic behavior, and quantum effects. In chemistry, cryochemistry examines reaction kinetics and phase behavior at cryogenic temperatures. In biology, cryobiology investigates the effects of freezing on living organisms and the methods for long-term preservation.

Applications of cryology-related research include the development of cryogenic cooling systems for laboratory instruments, medical equipment, and space telescopes; storage and transport of liquefied gases; and cryopreservation of biological samples. The field also supports study of Earth's cryosphere and polar environments in geoscience contexts.

Common techniques involve cooling with liquid nitrogen or liquid helium, cryostats and dewars, and insulation materials to reach and maintain temperatures well below ambient. Challenges include minimizing ice formation, preventing thermal contraction damage, and controlling phase transitions in materials.