Cryosphere Models: Ocean and Land in the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY section on Climate Change Modeling and Methodology

The global cryosphere encompasses snow and ice in all its forms in the natural environment, including glaciers and ice sheets, sea ice, lake and river ice, permafrost, seasonal snow, and ice crystals in the atmosphere. Cryospheric models are mathematical and numerical descriptions of these components of the Earth system, designed to simulate snow and ice processes and feedbacks in the context of the global climate system. This entry covers all forms of ice except ice crystals in the atmosphere, which are more appropriately combined with clouds and appear in encyclopedia entry “Cloud Albedo Enhancement for Solar Radiation Management” and “Cloud System Models”. We focus on models that are appropriate for global climate modeling. There are regional climate modeling applications that include some of the cryospheric components discussed here as well. Article Outline Glossary Definition of the Subject Introduction Several full numbered sections Future Directions Bibliography