GEOS 410
The Cryosphere Spring 2021
Division III
Cross-listed ENVI 410 / GEOS 410 / GEOS 410 / ENVI 410
This is not the current course catalog

The Earth’s climate system is often described in terms of its spheres, including the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, oceans, and the cryosphere. The cryosphere is the naturally occurring ice on Earth in all its many forms: snow, glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice, frozen lakes and rivers, and permafrost (frozen soil). These parts of the climate system may seem remote, but have implications for climate and weather around the world; changes in Arctic sea ice cover accelerate climate change in the north, resulting in the increased frequency of Polar Vortex events that send frigid temperatures down as far as the southern US. Melting glaciers and ice sheets have already contributed to sea level rise, and are projected to do so even more in the future. This course will explore the cryosphere, including snow, sea ice, permafrost, and glaciers through lectures, hands-on and data analysis labs, reading journal articles, and a final project. As a 400-level seminar, this capstone course is intended to build on and extend knowledge and skills students have developed during previous courses in the major.