China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Earth Systems and Cycles
Published in Dexter Perkins, Kevin R. Henke, Adam C. Simon, Lance D. Yarbrough, Earth Materials, 2019
Dexter Perkins, Kevin R. Henke, Adam C. Simon, Lance D. Yarbrough
Sometimes scientists redefine, or subdivide, the spheres for particular purposes, perhaps so they can focus on some particular processes that have practical implications. Geologists, for example, separate the geosphere into the lithosphere (Earth’s crust and uppermost mantle), the asthenosphere (a layer below the lithosphere), and the rest of Earth when they study plate tectonics (Fig. 2.6). Other scientists invoke the term cryosphere to refer to frozen matter, including ice, snow, glaciers, ice sheets, and frozen soils (permafrost), if they are concerned only about the effects of freezing. In agriculture and related disciplines, soils are usually identified as the pedosphere, elevating the importance of soils as parts of natural systems.
Energy Awareness Facts, Quotes and Tidbits
Published in John Eggink, Managing Energy Costs: A Behavioral and Non-Technical Approach, 2020
If everyone who has the means to do so takes concerted action to rid atmospheric carbon emissions from their lives, I believe we can stabilize and then save the cryosphere—those parts of the world, such as the poles, where water is frozen. Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers
Quantitative Assessment of Glacier Changes between 1998 and 2011 in the Parvati River Basin, Western Himalaya, India
Published in Surendra Kumar Chandniha, Anil Kumar Lohani, Gopal Krishan, Ajay Krishna Prabhakar, Advances in Hydrology and Climate Change, 2023
Chanchal Gupta, Vikash Shivhare, Sanjay K. Jain
The cryosphere has several parts, among them, the glacier is the most important, which plays a significant role in the study of climate change and its adverse effects (Wessels et al., 2002; Oerlemans et al., 1998; Rai et al., 2016). Numerous studies have reported that a total number of 9575 glaciers were identified in the Indian Himalayan region (Raina and Srivastava, 2008). The Himalaya, with a total glacier covering of around 33,000 km2, has the most extensive collection of glaciers outside the polar region (Bhambari et al., 2011, Mir et al., 2014). The primary perennial rivers of Asia, such as Indus, Ganga, and the Brahmaputra, are mainly fed by these glaciers and are the only source of fresh water in the region (Immerzeel et al., 2010). Most of the Himalayan glaciers are debris-covered and produce a large number of sediments. Apart from this, water discharge from these glaciers significantly contributes to the Himalayan Rivers’ runoff (Singh and Jain, 2002, Immerzeel et al., 2010). The discharge water from these glaciers is utilized for various purposes in the downstream areas, such as irrigation and hydropower generation (Mir et al., 2014). From the climate change point of view, these glaciers are now well recognized as the most reliable indicators (IPCC, 2007). These glaciers in the Himalayan regions are continuously retreating, melting, and shrinking due to climatic instability, which causes the formation of Glacier Lake and its outburst flood (Fujita et al., 2001). These fragile environmental and climatic instability indicators produce much concern for glacier changes and alterations due to global warming. Many studies reveal that the impact of climate change on glaciers is occurring in the Himalayan region, and the glaciers have been retreating since the end of the little ice age, and it has increased during the past few decades (Kulkarni et al. 2007; Bolch et al. 2008; Bhambri et al.2011, Mir et al. 2014; Murtaza and Romshoo, 2017). The immediate impact of this rise of temperature affects the glacier recession rate in the Himalayas. Changes in river flow in the Himalayan origin rivers is highly influenced by precipitation (Seasonal and monsoon) and snow and glacier (Immerzeel et al. 2010; Mir et al., 2014; Murtaza and Romshoo, 2017). The recession or loss of the Himalayan glacier has adversely affected the water resources. The lifecycle of the glacier has been affected due to climatic variability and changes in recent decades. It is observed that the northwest Himalaya region has warmed significantly at a higher rate than the global average. A significant rise of 1.6°C from 1998 to 2002 has been reported in the northwest Himalaya (Bhutiyani et al., 2007). Due to rising temperatures in the Himalayas, glaciers are fading more rapidly than the other regions (Shekhar et al., 2010). Due to rapid melting, most glaciers have retreated remarkably in the past two decades (Fujita et al., 1997).
Snow features on sea ice in the western Arctic Ocean during summer 2016
Published in International Journal of Digital Earth, 2021
Qing Ji, Xiaoping Pang, Xi Zhao, Ruibo Lei
Arctic sea ice has undergone rapid changes in recent decades, as substantiated by the reduction in its extent and thickness, loss of multi-year ice coverage, and intensification of snow melting on sea ice (Comiso 2011; Laxon et al. 2013; Wang et al. 2019). Arctic sea ice and its snow cover are important components of the cryosphere and the climate system (Webster et al. 2018; Meredith et al. 2019). Snow on Arctic sea ice is the most direct response to climate change and has a significant impact on the process of Earth’s radiation and energy transmission, which influences the growth-melting process of sea ice and the heat exchange process of the atmosphere-ocean (Webster et al. 2014; Rösel et al. 2018). Snow is the primary atmospheric source input to Arctic sea ice, with characteristics of high albedo and low thermal conductivity, which has a significant impact on the growth and melting process of Arctic sea ice (Eicken 2004; Kern et al. 2015; Sturm and Massom 2016).
The Canadian winter road infrastructure in a warming climate: Toward resiliency assessment and resource prioritization
Published in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, 2022
Paul D. Barrette, Yukari Hori, Amy M. Kim
A number of studies show that the climate is changing in the northern hemisphere. Climate in the Arctic, in particular, has been warming at more than twice the global rate since 1900 (Knoll et al., 2019; Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, 2017). The highest increase of a global surface temperature is projected at about three times the rate of global warming in the Arctic regions relative to 1850–1900, with a very high confidence (IPCC, 2021). The impact of climate change on the cryosphere, including sea ice thickness, snow cover, lake and river ice duration, and permafrost have increased in significance, with adverse consequences on northern transportation infrastructures (Knoll et al., 2019; Palko & Lemmen, 2017).
Technology developments for the strategic Indian blue economy
Published in Marine Georesources & Geotechnology, 2019
N. Vedachalam, M. Ravindran, M. A. Atmanand
The interactions between the global oceans, atmosphere and cryosphere influence the climate, biogeochemical cycles, biological productivity and the climate change on a global scale. The glaciers and ice sheets cover 16.3 million km2 or 11% of the entire global land area. During the 34th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) in 2015, the PROVe was deployed in the Priyadarshini Lake in the Eastern Antarctica and in the new Indian ice shelf barrier region using the vessel Papanin (Figure 28). The physical properties of the ice shelf water were logged using the PROVe onboard sensors, and the sonar images revealed ice shelf thickness to be >62 m (Ramesh et al. 2016).