DSS-E.01.01 — Salt-Spray Crystals / Shoreline Frosting

Salt-spray crystals / shoreline frosting is an appearance change on glass caused by marine/coastal aerosols (sea salts and hygroscopic constituents) depositing and cycling via evaporation/condensation. It presents as crystalline rings/halos, feathery “frosted” veils on windward façades, and recurring drip/rivulet maps under prevailing winds. With long dwell and contaminant co-deposition, very shallow micro-texture may develop.

Classification is appearance-only per VIS (method-agnostic). Inspect after Non-Invasive Reveal under VIS lighting/geometry; record surface numbering and worked-surface status.

• Spray-side (#1) accumulation: speckled crystal film, crescent/arc halos aligned with wind gusts; heavier near edges/frames and windward elevations.
• Rivulet/drip maps below head/pressure zones; feathered, matte “shoreline frosting” in raking light from repeated wet/dry cycles.
• Inboard faces (#4) generally clean unless air paths carry aerosol inside (rare).

Surface-catch class (MSRT)

• SC-0 for loose crystals/films on the surface.
• SC-1 may appear where micro-texture begins from repeated cycles with fines/soils (very shallow relief in raking). SC-2 suggests misclassification-check Ch.03.03 mineral etching or M.02 abrasion.
• Perform one light, non-marring pass on a small revealed test patch (substrate). Use polymer stylus if a functional coating is suspected on the worked face. MSRT supports classification only.

Visual signature

• Sparkly crystalline speckle at oblique angles; ring/halo outlines from evaporation margins; feathered matte veils on high-exposure panes.
• No chip-flank sparkle (not scoring); no fused pits/nodules (not hot particle).

Viewing / lighting

• Evaluate clean & dry at 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal and oblique sweep (~60°-120°); raking macros to resolve crystal fields, shoreline edges, rivulet maps. Record distances/angles in-frame.

Location / access

• Record pane ID and surface numbering (#1-#4; laminate-internal). Most common on #1 (outboard) windward façades. If fixed parallax places deposits between panes (#2/#3), classify CAT-5 by location and refer.

Mechanism cue (context)

• Marine/coastal proximity, salt air, wind exposure maps; salt haze on frames/sills/metalwork; nearby breaking surf or salted road spray (winter).

Assign CAT by visibility at acceptance geometry and MSRT after a small reveal test. Depth values are indicative-field measurement not required.

• CAT-1 (Benign / non-relief): Discrete crystal film/rings; SC-0; mainly angle/raking visible; clears with proper reveal on test patch. Indicative relief: 0-10 μm (optical).
• CAT-2 (Light): Persistent frosting/shoreline veil after reveal with localized SC-1 (incipient micro-texture from cycling/soils); limited standard-view impact. Indicative relief: ~10-40 μm.
• CAT-3 (Moderate): Wide-area matte fields / recurrent rivulet maps legible at standard distance with scattered SC-1; indicates long dwell and frequent exposure. Indicative relief: ~40-120 μm (micro-texture stack).
• Reclassify when: Post-reveal, if non-directional micro-texture persists without crystalline residue → assess Ch.03.03 mineral etching; if linear abrasion swirls are evident, assess M.02.
• CAT-5 (by condition/location): Between-pane/inaccessible by parallax, integrity indicators, or confirmed functional-coating loss on the surface to be worked → CAT-5.

CAT is appearance-based; acceptance is separate under VIS-A at 12/36/72 in. Do not abrade to “force” removal during classification.

• vs. Hard-water mineral system (Ch.03): Hard-water shows ring/runs from drips/sprays with crystalline edges and often silicate/carbonate balance; shoreline frosting maps windward exposure and spray direction; chemistry/location cues matter.
• vs. Detergent/surfactant film (R.04.01): Detergent veils show iridescence and wipe geometry; salt spray shows granular sparkle and shoreline halos without cleaning tool paths.
• vs. Soot/particulate film (E.01.03): Soot is grey/black, dry and transfers to cloth; salt crystals are sparkly/whitish and often deliquescent (re-wet into clear patches).
• vs. Chemical etch (Ch.01/Ch.02): True etch shows modeled micro-texture and SC-class beyond simple residue; salt deposits alone are SC-0 and lift on reveal.

• Photo set (VIS): 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal + oblique; raking macros of crystal fields, shoreline edges, rivulet maps; context frames of façade orientation / coastline / windward elevation. Record distance/angle in-frame.
• MSRT result (substrate): After a small reveal test patch, perform one light, non-marring pass; record SC-class (SC-0/SC-1/SC-2).
• Forms: Pane ID; product family & surface numbering; worked surface Y/N; functional coating present on worked surface? (Y/N/Unknown); reveal status; lighting/time; geometry checklist; photos attached.
• Acceptance split: Post-restoration acceptance per VIS-A §6; classification ≠ acceptance. Coated-face appearance rules apply per VIS §6.2.e when the worked surface is a factory functional coating.

• E.01.01 Salt-Spray Crystals / Shoreline Frosting - Crystalline deposit / feathered shoreline veil on surface #___ (windward); post-reveal test patch shows [SC-0/SC-1]; visible at [12/36/72 in] under VIS geometry. Morphology: sparkly crystal field, rivulet map, shoreline halo; no chip-flank sparkle, no pits. Classification: CAT-[1/2/3] by visibility and SC-class; reclassify to Ch.03.03 if persistent micro-texture indicates etch; CAT-5 if between-pane or coating-side loss on the surface to be worked. Forms + photo set attached; acceptance per VIS-A §6.