cryosphere

[ krahy-oh-sfeer ]

noun

, Ecology.

1. the part of the earth’s surface where, at temperatures below 32°F (0°C), the water is frozen solid. Even a small pond while frozen over during the winter is part of the cryosphere, but cryosphere refers more often to large regions covered in snow and ice for much or all of the year, as the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland, glaciers, icebergs, and expanses of permafrost, all of which are especially sensitive to global shifts in climate:

   Her research on the cryosphere included fieldwork at the South Pole with other climatologists.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cryosphere¹

First recorded in 1935–40; cryo- ( def ) + -sphere ( def )

Example Sentences

Each study involves the cryosphere, or those regions on the planet where water freezes into ice or snow.

From Salon

The World Meteorological Organization's director of hydrology, water and cryosphere said developed countries such as Japan were "extremely alert, and they're also very well prepared when it comes to flood management measures."

From BBC

“When we’re talking about the oceans, atmosphere, the land, the cryosphere, the ice, and all that sort of thing, oceans have taken up more of that heat than any other component,” Bond said.

From Seattle Times

Various earlier reports have found that the cryosphere — regions on Earth covered by snow and ice — are among the worst affected by climate change.

From Seattle Times

“Things are happening quickly,” said Miriam Jackson, a cryosphere researcher at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and one of the authors of the report.

From New York Times