Our Frozen Cryosphere Is Melting

Article by: Michelle O'Brien

Earlier this week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their latest report, “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.” The report states, “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.”[1] The Secretary-General for the United Nations called the report, ‘Code Red for Humanity.”[2]

Alterations and changes to numerous earth systems, including the rise in average global temperature, further substantiated by this week’s Aug 9 IPCC report, is being documented worldwide in countless regions of the planet. But nowhere on earth is warming faster than the Arctic regions. This area is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, and predictions suggest the rate of warming will precipitously accelerate over the next century.[3] The northernmost region of the Earth is warming faster than its counterpart in Antarctica. This is due to weaker polar amplification (rise in global temperatures effecting planetary poles before the rest of the planet), a weaker albedo rate, and more efficient heat uptake in Antarctica than in the Arctic.

Due to these rapid changes in earth’s cryosphere, scientists and climate researchers are collecting critical data to observe and predict how losses and changes to the cryosphere will impact planetary stability. Studying the potential and likely outcomes of a changing and shrinking cryosphere is important for mitigating the threats of climate change and preparing for the future impacts of a rapidly changing environment.

What is the Cryosphere?

The cryosphere is a dynamic part of the hydrosphere (the system responsible for earth’s water cycle). The cryosphere contains all of earth’s frozen surface and groundwater, making up 68.7% of all freshwaters on the planet.[4] The system is comprised of several components, including seasonal snow cover, sea ice, lake and river ice, ice sheets, permafrost, mountain glaciers and small ice caps.[5] The cryosphere aids in stabilizing our planet’s average global temperature by reflecting large amounts of energy back into the atmosphere. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, snow and ice reflect 80% of incoming sunlight back into the atmosphere.[6] The term scientists us for measuring the reflective ability for various surfaces is referred to as the albedo rate and is defined by the percentage of solar radiation reflected into space by an object or surface. This makes the cryosphere a crucial aspect in regulating the amount of energy and heat absorbed by our planet.[7] As the size of the polar ice sheets, snow cover and other high albedo or reflective surfaces shrink, significantly less energy can reflect into the atmosphere, causing an acceleration of heat flux.[8] The more energy absorbed by our planet, the hotter the earth becomes and the faster earth’s glaciers will melt.

Image Source: World Metrological Organization. (n.d.). Global Cryosphere Types. https://public.wmo.int/en/our-mandate/focus-areas/cryosphere.

The results of warming polar regions affect everyone on the planet. Scientists have linked a warming planet to an increase in the rate of ocean acidification, floods, wildfires, loss of species, sea level rise and the likelihood of reaching irreversible tipping points.[9] Today’s IPCC report says earth is rapidly approaching numerous irreversible tipping points including, the melting of the Greenland and Arctic ice sheets, the dying of the Boreal and Amazon Rainforest, instability of West Antarctica ice sheet, ocean circulation patterns, dying of coral reefs, permafrost thawing, along with other concerning accelerated changes.[10] According to the European Geosciences Union, 28 trillion tons of ice were lost between 1994 and 2017, showing a 57% increase is the rate of ice loss since the 1990’s.[11] The rate at which the polar regions are melting is occurring at a faster pace than scientists previously predicted.[12] The World Economic Forum states that, “researchers’ analysis demonstrated these changes are moving along at a much faster pace than expected.”[13]

There are two remaining polar ice sheets on the planet, located in Antarctica and Greenland making up the largest mass of the cryosphere.[14] According to the “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Arctic Program,” the Greenland Ice Sheet is losing 267 billion tons of ice per year, and Artic snow cover is at its lowest point in 53 years.[15] The Greenland Ice Sheet is also currently contributing 0.7 mm per year to sea-level rise.[16] To accurately study the changes occurring to earth’s climate and atmosphere, scientists are examining past and present cryosphere levels and comparing this data with long-term global average temperatures.

Image Source: The European Space Agency . (n.d.). Our world is losing ice at record rate . https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/CryoSat/Our_world_is_losing_ice_at_record_rate.

According to NASA scientists, if all the planet’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, sea level would rise by 195 feet (60 meters) by the end of the century.[17]

The World Wildlife Fund states that, “unprecedented melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and glaciers is now the biggest contributor to global sea-level rise that will impact hundreds of millions of people,” and will likely generate an extensive amount of climate refuges. [18]

Loss of sea ice exposes the ocean surrounding the polar regions to direct sunlight, where larger amounts of energy are absorbed than if ice was still covering significantly more of the surface area accelerating the process of thermal expansion.[19] When a serious of warm air interacts with ice sheets it increases their melting rate and creates melting ponds, these ponds in turn exasperate the rate of calving and create a seamless and endless cycle of melting.

Another interesting component of the cryosphere is permafrost, or all of earth’s frozen groundwater. Thawing permafrost has consequences for nearby water quality as large amounts of carbon and nitrogen are deposited into aquatic ecosystems and neighboring streams.[20] Permafrost contains vast amounts of carbon dioxide and methane that have been stored underground for thousands of years. Scientist are concerned that thawing permafrost will release large reserves of greenhouse gasses and subsequently increase the rate of global warming event further.

According to the “NOAA Arctic Program,” thawing Arctic permafrost may be releasing 300-600 million tons of carbon each year.[21]

Permafrost also contains a plethora of unknown viruses that could potentially be released into the atmosphere as the landscape melts. The European Surfrider Foundation estimates permafrost to contain 17000 billion tons of carbon and references the thawing of permafrost to be compared to “Pandora’s box.” This is due to the superfluity of unknown bacteria that will be released as permafrost thaws. [22]

Melting Mountain Glaciers

1.9 billion people rely on mountain glaciers for their main source of drinking water, totaling just over 20% of the world’s population. [23] These regions also rely on glaciers and snow ice for irrigation and power generation. As numerous regions are experiencing the effects of a shrinking cryosphere, the future of water in these areas may become scant. Peru relies on the Andes mountains for a large portion of their water supply and there is recent concern on the near-future availability of freshwater from the high Andes glaciers. [24] The Yanamarey Glacier is expected to disappear in half a century, while others including the Chacaltaya and Bolivia glaciers could disappear in just 10 years.[25] Glaciers in the United States are experiencing similar trends.

In 1850, Glacier National Park had a total of 150 glaciers, today only 25 glaciers remain, and scientists predict the park will be glacier-free by 2030.[26]

Glaciers in Alaska are no different, according to “NASA Earth Observatory,” the Columbia Glacier is the fastest retreating glacier in the world.[27]

Image Source: Wallner, C. (n.d.). Nasa. Glacier National Park Could Lose All Its Ice By 2030. Snow Brains. https://snowbrains.com/nasa-glacier-national-park-could-lose-all-its-glaciers-by-2030/.

These drastic changes to the cryosphere will contribute significantly to the loss of stream discharge and disrupt natural stream flows. According to a statement in a “National Geographic” article, the consequences of glacier loss will be significant. “If most of it disappears, there will be extreme consequences for most of these regions, the stream flow will change, the timing of peak stream flow will change, and the temperature of streams will change.”[28] There is significant evidence that “peak water” from glacial melt has already passed the point of steady and stable ice flow. [29]

Conclusion:

The polar ice sheets are melting, sea level is rising, and our planet is rapidly warming. Although many factors attribute to the changing climate, it is evident that the melting of our cryosphere is a clear result of a warming planet caused by the burning of fossil fuels over the past century. This should be taken as a warning sign for the future stability of our planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean Cryosphere shows negative trends in all areas of the cryosphere, and their latest report further confirms the irrefutable data of our warming planet.[30] Scientists will continue to monitor the changes to Earth’s cryosphere using satellite imagery and on-the-ground data to observe what the foreseeable future holds.

References:

[1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.” IPCC. Retrieved August 10, 2021, by MO. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Full_Report.pdf [2] United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. Retrieved August 10, 2021, by MO. https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20847.doc.htm [3] Environmental Protection Agency. “Climate Change Indicators: U.S and Global Temperature.” EPA, 2021. Accessed July 16, 2021, by MO. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-temperature [4] United States Geological Survey. “Ice, Snow, and Glaciers and the Water Cycle.” Accessed July 17, 2021, by MO. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/ice-snow-and-glaciers-and-water-cycle?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects [5] National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration U.S Department of Commerce. “What is the cryosphere?” Accessed July 17, 2021, by MO. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/cryosphere.html [6] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “PMEL Arctic Zone.” Retrieved July 20, 2021, by MO. https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/arctic-zone/essay_serreze.html [7] The European Space Agency. “Our World is losing ice at a record rate.” ESA Jan 25, 2021. Accessed July 20, 2021, by MO. https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/CryoSat/Our_world_is_losing_ice_at_record_rate%20 [8] University of Chicago. “The Energy Budget of Glaciers.” Accessed July 18, 2021, by MO. http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~rtp1/glaciers/EnergyBudget.html [9] European Environmental Agency. “Climate change and water- Warmer oceans, flooding and droughts.” Accessed on July 21, 2021. https://www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2018-content-list/articles/climate-change-and-water-2014 [10] Yale Environment 360. “As Climate Change Worsens, A Cascade of Tipping Points Looms.” December 5, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2021, by MO. https://e360.yale.edu/features/as-climate-changes-worsens-a-cascade-of-tipping-points-looms [11] European Geosciences Union. “Review article: Earth’s ice imbalance.” August 12, 2020. Accessed July 22, 2021, by MO. https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/233/2021/ [12] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/alaskan-glaciers-melting-faster-than-previously-thought?loggedin=true [13] World Economic Forum. “Global warming: Scientists ‘stunned’ by how much ice we’ve lost.” Erikson, August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2021, by MO. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/arctic-sea-ice-global-warming-climate-change-predictions/ [14] National Snow and Ice Data Center. Quick Facts on Ice Sheets. Accessed August 4, 2021, by MO. https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/quickfacts/icesheets.html [15]National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Arctic Program. “Arctic Report Card: Update for 2019.” NOAA. Retrieved August 9, 2021, by MO. https://arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card/Report-Card-2019 [16] National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Arctic Program. “Arctic Report Card: Update for 2019.” NOAA. Retrieved August 9, 2021, by MO. https://arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card/Report-Card-2019 [17] National Atmospheric Space Administration. “Understanding Sea Level.” Accessed July 23, 2021, by MO. https://sealevel.nasa.gov/understanding-sea-level/global-sea-level/ice-melt [18] World Wildlife Fund. “One billion people threatened by climate change risks to oceans, polar and mountain regions, UN report warns.” Accessed July 23, 2021, by MO. https://arcticwwf.org/newsroom/news/one-billion-people-threatened-by-climate-change-risks-to-oceans-polar-and-mountain-regions-un-report-warns/ [19] Aspen Global Change Institute. “The Cryosphere.” Accessed July 26, 2021, by MO. https://www.agci.org/earth-systems/cryosphere [20] National Parks Service. “Potential Effects of Permafrost Thaw on Arctic River Ecosystems.” NPS. Retrieved August 9, 2021, by MO. https://www.nps.gov/articles/aps-16-1-10.htm [21] National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Arctic Program. “Arctic Report Card: Update for 2019.” NOAA. Retrieved August 9, 2021, by MO. https://arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card/Report-Card-2019 [22] Surfrider Foundation Europe. “Permafrost: A Modern Day Pandora’s Box: https://surfrider.eu/en/learn/blog/permafrost-modern-day-pandoras-box-121402206487.html [23] The Conversation. “The world’s mountain ‘water towers’ are melting, putting 1.9 billion people at risk.” Bethan Davies, 20219. Accessed July 26, 2021, by MO. https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-mountain-water-towers-are-melting-putting-1-9-billion-people-at-risk-128501 [24] Columbia Climate School, State of the Planet. “Vanishing Glaciers: The Future of Water in Perus High Andes. Jeremy Hinsdale, June 12, 2018. Accessed July 27, 2021, by MO. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/06/12/vanishing-glaciers-future-water-perus-high-andes/ [25] Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. “Global Disappearance of Tropical Mountain Glaciers: Observations, Causes, and Challenges. Accessed July 30, 2021, by MO. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/9/5/196/htm [26] National Aeronautic Space Administration, Earth Observatory. “World of Change: Ice Loss in Glacier National Park.” NASA. Retrieved August 9, 2021, by MO. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/Glacier [27] National Aeronautic Space Administration, Earth Observatory. “World of Change: Columbia Glacier, Alaska.” NASA. Retrieved August 9, 2021, by MO. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/ColumbiaGlacier [28] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/1112-melting-glaciers-mean-double-trouble-for-water-supplies?loggedin=true [29] Scientific American. “For Peru’s Rio Santa, has “Peak Water” Already Passed?” Lauren Morello, December 21, 2011. Accessed August 2, 2021, by MO. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/peru-rio-santa-has-peak-water-past/ [30] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “Observations: Cryosphere.” IPCC. Retrieved August 4, 2021, by MO. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/WG1AR5_Chapter04_FINAL.pdf