GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: THE CRYOSPHERE The general climatic conditions of an area; temperature and rainfall; are influenced by the kind of land cover (vegetation or ice and snow) present in that particular area. The two are related because the earth’s surface is a determinant factor of how much solar insolation and absorption an area receives (IPCC Report, 2007). The cryosphere is covered in snow and ice which helps in regulating the earth’s climatic conditions through a number of factors. ( The albedo of polar regions may vary depending on the surface cover. Albedo is the measure of ability of a surface to reflect solar energy. It varies from zero to one. If a surface’s albedo is 0 it therefore means all energy has been absorbed and no reflectivity is experienced. If at one, that means that the reflectivity is high that all solar energy is being reflected away. Melting snow and ice cause changes in the earth’s (polar region) albedo hence a change in the general climate of that area. The colour of snow which is white also highly contributes to its albedo hence regulating the amount of heat on the earth’s surface. Diag.1: Courtesy of IPCC AR4 Report: Climate Change (2007) The diagram above represents the components of the cryosphere that are used to record climatic patterns from wind patterns, temperature and precipitation of that area. When the glaciers melt and heat absorbed by the ice sheets, the water is deposited in seas and oceans hence leading to rise in water level (IPCC Report, 2007). So far, the ice sheet has lost about 160km3 to sea water. Addition of water may change speed of currents in the oceans affecting the rate of evaporation. Higher evaporation leads to high rainfall received. On the other hand, the effect of melting sea ice may not be direct because it exposes the dark ocean floor which enables more absorption of solar radiation hence increased in warm temperatures of the frozen ground(permafrost) (IPCC Report, 2007). The permafrost contains large quantities of carbon released as methane gas responsible for warming of the atmosphere. A rough surface on the cryosphere contributes to more solar reflection than a smooth surface. If the polar regions have rocky substances, they more likely absorb solar radiation leading to warmer temperatures. A smooth surface will easily reflect solar heat hence colder temperatures. Mountain tops that are covered with thick snow tend to reflect solar radiation as compared to those with thin layers of snow. At higher altitudes there’s lesser heavy gases like Oxygen (IPCC Report, 2007). Ultimately, the air around such areas tends to be cool and humid. Warm air from low lying areas rise and cool carrying lesser moisture and hence released in form of rain. Over the years, scientists have used the cryosphere to tract past and predict future climatic conditions. Ice cores can be dated to have existed more than 100,000 years ago. The temperatures in the past had lesser carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane gases (CH4) than experienced in this current years. This means the general global climate then was cooler and characterised by sufficient rainfall (IPCC Report, 2007).. Due to infrastructural and industrial changes the that have led to loss of snow cover, the atmosphere in the present ages is hot and characterised by little rainfall. References: 1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change :4th Assessment Paper Report,2007 -

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: THE CRYOSPHERE
The general climatic conditions of an area; temperature and rainfall; are influenced by the
kind of land cover (vegetation or ice and snow) present in that particular area. The two are
related because the earth’s surface is a determinant factor of how much solar insolation and
absorption an area receives (IPCC Report, 2007).
The cryosphere is covered in snow and ice which helps in regulating the earth’s climatic
conditions through a number of factors. ( The albedo of polar regions may vary depending on
the surface cover. Albedo is the measure of ability of a surface to reflect solar energy. It
varies from zero to one. If a surface’s albedo is 0 it therefore means all energy has been
absorbed and no reflectivity is experienced. If at one, that means that the reflectivity is high
that all solar energy is being reflected away. Melting snow and ice cause changes in the
earth’s (polar region) albedo hence a change in the general climate of that area. The colour of
snow which is white also highly contributes to its albedo hence regulating the amount of heat
on the earth’s surface.
Diag.1: Courtesy of IPCC AR4 Report: Climate Change (2007)
The diagram above represents the components of the cryosphere that are used to record
climatic patterns from wind patterns, temperature and precipitation of that area.
When the glaciers melt and heat absorbed by the ice sheets, the water is deposited in seas and
oceans hence leading to rise in water level (IPCC Report, 2007). So far, the ice sheet has lost about 160km3 to sea
water. Addition of water may change speed of currents in the oceans affecting the rate of
evaporation. Higher evaporation leads to high rainfall received.
On the other hand, the effect of melting sea ice may not be direct because it exposes
the dark ocean floor which enables more absorption of solar radiation hence increased in
warm temperatures of the frozen ground(permafrost) (IPCC Report, 2007). The permafrost contains large
quantities of carbon released as methane gas responsible for warming of the atmosphere.
A rough surface on the cryosphere contributes to more solar reflection than a smooth
surface. If the polar regions have rocky substances, they more likely absorb solar radiation
leading to warmer temperatures. A smooth surface will easily reflect solar heat hence colder
temperatures.
Mountain tops that are covered with thick snow tend to reflect solar radiation as compared
to those with thin layers of snow. At higher altitudes there’s lesser heavy gases like
Oxygen (IPCC Report, 2007). Ultimately, the air around such areas tends to be cool and humid. Warm air from low
lying areas rise and cool carrying lesser moisture and hence released in form of rain.
Over the years, scientists have used the cryosphere to tract past and predict future climatic
conditions. Ice cores can be dated to have existed more than 100,000 years ago. The
temperatures in the past had lesser carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane gases (CH4) than
experienced in this current years. This means the general global climate then was cooler and
characterised by sufficient rainfall (IPCC Report, 2007).. Due to infrastructural and industrial changes the that have led to loss of snow cover, the atmosphere in the present ages is hot and
characterised by little rainfall.

References:
1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change :4th Assessment Paper Report,2007

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