Physics of the cryosphere

The cryosphere — the part of Earth’s climate system consisting of snow and ice — is undergoing rapid and massive perturbations due to planetary warming. For instance, almost half the summer Arctic sea-ice cover has been lost over recent decades; February 2023 saw the extent of Antarctic sea ice reach a record low. Such melting has ripple effects and feedbacks on the climate system that are powerful and can travel far, challenging efforts at modelling and prediction. Five researchers discuss how diverse physics ideas can help better understand the cryosphere.