Abstract
Abstract. The cryosphere of the Earth overlaps with the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere over vast areas with temperatures below 0 ∘C and pronounced H2O phase changes. In spite of its strong variability in space and time, the cryosphere plays the role of a global thermostat, keeping the thermal regime on the Earth within rather narrow limits, affording continuation of the conditions needed for the maintenance of life. Objects and processes related to cryosphere are very diverse, due to the following basic reasons: the anomalous thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of H2O, the intermediate intensity of hydrogen bonds and the wide spread of cryogenic systems all over the Earth. However, these features attract insufficient attention from research communities. Cryology is usually understood as a descriptive discipline within physical geography, limited to glaciology and permafrost research. We emphasise its broad interdisciplinary landscape involving physical, chemical and biological phenomena related to the H2O phase transitions and various forms of ice. This paper aims to draw the attention of readers to the crucial importance of cryogenic anomalies, which make the Earth atmosphere and the entire Earth system very special, if not unique, objects in the universe.
Highlights
Nowadays the Earth system is facing the so-called “Grand Challenges”
As stated in the Earth System Manifesto, humankind only has a 40-year window to avoid a collapse of the Earth system
Melnikov et al.: Cryosphere: a kingdom of anomalies and diversity (PEEX) aimed at responding to the Grand Challenges faced by European countries, as well as Russia and China (Lappalainen et al, 2014; Kulmala et al, 2015)
Summary
Nowadays the Earth system is facing the so-called “Grand Challenges”. The rapidly growing population needs fresh air and water, more food and more energy. Humankind suffers from climate change, deterioration of the air, water and soils, deforestation, acidification of ocean waters and biodiversity losses. Strong environmental changes are observed and are expected to go on during the decades in North Eurasia and the Arctic Ocean (IPCC, 2014). The threats from climate change and deterioration of the environment are redoubled by restricted natural resources, unrestrained migration tendencies, and uncertainties in political and socio-economic developments (Smith, 2010). V. Melnikov et al.: Cryosphere: a kingdom of anomalies and diversity (PEEX) aimed at responding to the Grand Challenges faced by European countries, as well as Russia and China (Lappalainen et al, 2014; Kulmala et al, 2015). The PEEX Science Plan (Lappalainen et al, 2016) focuses on the Polar and Arctic regions and, on the cryosphere in the context of modern challenges of the North Eurasian environment. The present paper attracts the attention of the broad geoscience community of physicists, chemists, biologists and, prospectively, astrophysicists to topical problems related to ice, snow and cold in a wider interdisciplinary context, beyond the present conventional understanding (see above)
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