The cryosphere encompasses all regions of the planet that experiences water in ice form for some portion of the year. In this book, authors Melody Sandells and Daniela Flocco deliver an introduction to the physics of the cryosphere. This includes the Arctic, Antarctic, large parts of North America, Eurasia, and some parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Frozen soil, permafrost, snow, glaciers, ice sheet and ice shelves; river, lake and sea ice are all features of the Earth’s surface in the cryosphere, with snow and sea ice being among the most dynamic.

Researchers in this and related fields can use this book as a quick introduction or refresher to the topic of the physics of the cryosphere.