Cryosfeer

Cryosfeer is the portion of the Earth where water is in solid form on or near the surface. In Dutch usage, cryosfeer refers to the Earth's solid-water components and their processes. The cryosphere encompasses snow cover, glaciers and ice sheets, sea ice, permafrost and frozen ground, as well as lake and river ice in some regions. Its extent is seasonal and regionally variable.

Key components include snow cover, glaciers and ice sheets, sea ice, permafrost, frozen ground, and seasonal lake and river ice.

The cryosphere influences the climate system through albedo, energy exchange, and freshwater storage. It helps regulate sea level through the gain or loss of land ice and can drive climate feedbacks such as changes in atmospheric moisture transport.

Climate change is affecting the cryosphere widely. Observations show thinning and retreat of glaciers and ice sheets, reductions in Arctic sea ice extent, permafrost thaw, and shorter periods of lake and river ice in many regions. These changes influence regional water resources, hazards, and ecosystems.

Monitoring combines satellite observations, airborne surveys, and field measurements, with results integrated into climate models and water-resource forecasts.