Cryosphere Unit Overview

The lab activities in this module were developed by Erin Bardar of TERC for the EarthLabs project.

Why Teach about the Cryosphere?

The cryosphere (a word derived from kryos, the Greek word for cold) is a complex system of snow and ice. The frigid regions that make up the cryosphere extend well beyond the planet's north and south poles. In fact, snow can be found all over the world—even near the equator at high elevations. Over 100,000 glaciers cover 10 percent of the world's land and store 75 percent of the world's fresh water. A reflective white blanket, the cryosphere protects Earth from getting too warm. Ice cores reveal details about past climate, and because much of the cryosphere is close to melting temperatures, it is one of the most powerful indicators of climate change.

The cryosphere is highly variable on time scales ranging from days to hundreds of thousands of years. Changes in snow and ice cover affect things like air temperature, sea level, ocean currents, and storm patterns. By studying the cryosphere, we can learn about past, present, and future changes in climate and how those changes will impact life on Earth.

Why use this set of lessons?

This unit will introduce you to many of the complex issues surrounding the cryosphere. The investigations in this unit incorporate some of the most current research data and visualizations available. Using data from a variety of sources, you will learn about thermodynamic, dynamic, and feedback processes in the cryosphere.

Key Questions addressed by this unit include:

• What is the cryosphere?
• Why is the cryosphere important?
• How and why does the cryosphere change over time and space?
• What are the timescales associated with changes in the cryosphere?
• What are the impacts and implications of changes in the cryosphere?

Before starting this unit

1. Read the Lab Overviews section, which identifies all of the materials you'll need to gather and provides a quick scope and sequence of the unit.