What is the Cryosphere?

Cryosphere refers to the negative temperature circle that is continuously distributed on the surface of the earth and has a certain thickness, also known as the ice-snow circle, ice circle, or cold circle. The term "cryosphere" is derived from cryosphere in English, which is derived from the Greek kryos, meaning "icy". In China, it is customarily referred to as the cryosphere because of the important influence of glaciers and frozen soils, and the historical origins of glaciology and frozen soils that complement each other in the development process.

The water body in the cryosphere is naturally frozen. Frozen bodies composed of natural surface water and other materials also belong to the category of cryosphere.

The composition of the cryosphere includes glaciers (including ice caps and ice caps), river ice, lake ice, snow cover, ice shelves, icebergs, sea ice, and permafrost and seasonal frozen soil (table). Solid water such as snowflakes, ice crystals, hail, and thorium in the atmosphere are also part of the cryosphere. The cryosphere has the highest altitude near the equator, and gradually decreases to the sea level toward the north and south poles.

The cryosphere is affected by certain cold climates.

The term "cryosphere" is derived from cryosphere in English, which is derived from the Greek kryos, meaning "icy".

The term Cryosphere, first introduced in China, was translated as "cold circle". For example, glaciologist Cui Zhijiu's "Cold Zone · Climate Change · Greenhouse Effect" (published in Quaternary Research, No. 3, 1991.

According to "Nomenclature of Atmospheric Sciences (Third Edition)" (Science Press, 2009), the standard term is the ice and snow circle;

According to "Geographical Terms (Second Edition)" (Science Press, 2006), the standard word is the cold circle;

With the establishment of the State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Science in 2007, the term cryosphere is more common. In China, due to the important influence of glaciers and permafrost, and the historical origins of glaciology and permafrost that complement each other in the development process, this translation method is becoming more and more extensive. Such as the National Major Scientific Research Program "Cryosphere Changes and Their Impacts". ^[1]