| Term: | Cryosphere |
| Definition: |
One of the earth's spheres of irregular form existing in the zone of interaction of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, distinguished by negative or zero temperature and the presence of water in the solid or super-cooled state; the term refers collectively to the portions of the earth where water is in solid form, including snow cover, floating ice, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, seasonally frozen ground and perennially frozen ground (permafrost). NSIDCCryosphere
All regions on and beneath the surface of the Earth and ocean where water is in solid form, including sea ice, lake ice, river ice, snow cover, glaciers and ice sheets, and frozen ground (which includes permafrost). IPCC2014 The component of the climate system consisting of all snow, ice and frozen ground (including permafrost) on and beneath the surface of the Earth and ocean. EU-ADAPT Total ice, snow and permafrost masses of the world. WMOHydrology That part of the earth's crust, hydrosphere and atmosphere subject to temperatures below 0EC for at least part of each year" IPAPermafrost That part of the earth's crust, hydrosphere and atmosphere subject to temperatures below 0C for at least part of each year. The Cryosphere may be divided into the cryoatmosphere, the cryohydrosphere (Snow Cover, Glaciers, and river, lake and sea Ice) and the cryolithosphere (perennially and seasonally Cryotic Ground, Rock Glacier). Some authorities exclude the earth's atmosphere from the Cryosphere; others restrict the term Cryosphere to the regions of the earth's crust where Permafrost exists. TrombottoGeocryology That portion of the earth where natural materials (water, soil, etc.) occur in frozen form. Generally limited to the polar latitudes and higher elevations. AMSglossary GCW |