The cryosphere is the frozen water part of the Earth system
Source: NOAA
There are places on Earth that are
so cold that water is frozen solid. These areas of snow or ice, which
are subject to temperatures below 0°C for at least part of the year,
compose the cryosphere. The term “cryosphere” comes from the Greek word,
“krios,” which means cold.
Ice and snow on land are one part of the cryosphere. This
includes the largest parts of the cryosphere, the continental ice
sheets found in Greenland and Antarctica, as well as ice caps,
glaciers, and areas of snow and permafrost. When continental ice flows
out from land and to the sea surface, we get shelf ice.
The other part of the cryosphere is ice that is found in
water. This includes frozen parts of the ocean, such as waters
surrounding Antarctica and the Arctic. It also includes frozen rivers
and lakes, which mainly occur in polar areas.
The components of the cryosphere play an important role in the
Earth’s climate. Snow and ice reflect heat from the sun, helping to
regulate our planet’s temperature. Because polar regions are some of
the most sensitive to climate shifts, the cryosphere may be one of the
first places where scientists are able to identify global changes in
climate.
