Global outlook for ice and snow

Abstract

This book provides an excellent overview of the recent research results on the cryosphere. For the non-specialist, in particular, it is a useful introduction to the subject, and provides some of the basic facts and statistics related to the cryosphere. Each of the components of the cryosphere is reviewed in a chapter or subchapter: snow, glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice, frozen ground, and lake and river ice. These chapters include a description of the cryospheric components, geographical locations and the future outlook. In addition, most sections include discussions of how each component relates to biology, ecology and human activity. Other chapters provide a general introduction to the cryosphere, to climate models and to sea level.