Introduction to the Physics of the Cryosphere

This second edition defines different parts of the cryosphere including: permafrost, snow, land ice, sea ice, ocean, atmosphere and covers numerical modelling of thermodynamic exchanges: conservation of mass, energy, and momentum. It explores the physical basis behind phenomena such as formation of stone circles from melt-freeze processes, snow crystal formation and pressure-melting of glaciers. As an engaging course text for students, it discusses the contribution of melt to sea level rise and explains terms used commonly in the literature.

This book is intended for graduates with a numerical sciences background, particularly those who are heading towards postgraduate study or are generally interested in environmental physics.

Key Features

• Explains basic physics underpinning research topics

• Provides broad understanding of the fundamental cryospheric components

• Demonstrates how remote sensing measurements are interpreted and used to monitor the cryosphere

• Describes the importance of the cryosphere within the global ocean and its relationship with the climate

• Explains observed phenomena supported by many photos, illustrations, links to other reading material and videos

本書第二版對冰凍圈的不同部分進行了定義，包括：永久凍土、雪、陸地冰、海冰、海洋、大氣層，並涵蓋了熱力學交換的數值模擬：質量、能量和動量的守恆。它探討了形成石圈的融凍過程、雪晶形成和冰川壓熔等現象的物理基礎。作為學生引人入勝的課程教材，它討論了融化對海平面上升的貢獻，並解釋了文獻中常用的術語。

本書適用於具有數值科學背景的研究生，特別是那些即將進入研究生學習或對環境物理學感興趣的人。

主要特點：
- 解釋研究主題背後的基本物理原理
- 提供對冰凍圈基本組成部分的廣泛理解
- 示範如何解釋和使用遙感測量來監測冰凍圈
- 描述冰凍圈在全球海洋中的重要性及其與氣候的關係
- 通過許多照片、插圖、其他閱讀材料和視頻來解釋觀察到的現象