Cryosphere
Ice Sheets
- Antarctic and Greenland ice sheet monitoring
- Ice mass balance and melting rates
- Contribution to sea level rise
Glaciers
- Glacier extent and volume change
- Seasonal and long-term melt trends
- Impact on downstream water resources
Sea Ice
- Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent and thickness
- Seasonal variability and trends
- Impacts on climate and ecosystems
Permafrost
- Monitoring permafrost extent and thawing
- Greenhouse gas release from thawed soils
- Effects on infrastructure and ecosystems
Cryosphere and Climate Feedback
- Albedo effect and energy balance
- Interaction with ocean and atmospheric systems
- Implications for global climate patterns