Record Search Query: [Source_Name: Short_Name='TERRA'] A Tour of
the Cryosphere Entry ID: SVS_CRYOSPHERE Abstract: The cryosphere
consists of those parts of the Earth's surface where water is
found in solid form, including areas of snow, sea ice, glaciers,
permafrost, ice sheets, and icebergs. In these regions, surface
temperatures remain below freezing for a portion of each year.
Since ice and snow exist relatively close to their melting
point, they frequently change from solid to liquid and back
again due to ... fluctuations in surface temperature. Although
direct measurements of the cryosphere can be difficult to obtain
due to the remote locations of many of these areas, using
satellite observations scientists monitor changes in the global
and regional climate by observing how regions of the Earth's
cryosphere shrink and expand. This animation portrays
fluctuations in the cryosphere through observations collected
from a variety of satellite-based sensors. The animation begins
in Antarctica, showing some un