About the Book: Remote Sensing of the Cryosphere
The cryosphere is the frozen water part of the Earths system that covers a
significant portion of the Earths land and ocean surfaces. Seasonal snow cover
reaches the widest extent of any cryospheric component, with a mean winter
maximum extent encompassing about 31% of the total global land area, 98% of
which occurs in the northern hemisphere. The cryosphere has a significant
influence on global climate and human livelihoods. Change in spatial and
temporal distribution of the cryosphere influences the water flow in the worlds
major rivers. Monitoring of the cryosphere is of importance for improved
understanding of global