This book introduces systematically the cryospheric science, covering the formation, development, evolution, and research methods of each component of the cryosphere, the interaction between the cryosphere and the other spheres of the climate system and the anthroposphere, and the hot topics of social and economic sustainable development and geopolitics. The authors are world-renowned experts and scientists working in the related fields. They have a deep understanding and accurate grasp of the basic theory, evolution mechanism, and international frontiers of the cryosphere, as well as rich teaching experience, which makes this book suitable also as textbook for graduate students. It is also the first book that introduces the knowledge of cryospheric science systematically. In addition to theoretical knowledge, the book also introduces field work and experimental analysis. It should be of interests for the scholars and graduate student working in the fields of geography, hydrology, geology, geomorphology, atmosphere, ecology, environment, oceanography, and regional economic and social sustainable development.
Dr. Dahe Qin is academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Third World Academy of Sciences. He graduated from the Department of Geography of Lanzhou University in 1970. From then on, he engaged to cryosphere science and climate change studies. He has published over 300 papers and books. He systematically studied the physical processes within the Antarctic ice sheet surface snow and the records of climate and environment. He set up the State Key Laboratory on Cryospheric Science in China. He advocated the concept of cryosphere science and built the framework of cryospheric science from the aspect of interaction between cryosphere and other spheres and the adaptive strategies of cryospheric changes. He involved the third and leaded the fourth and fifth IPCC scientific assessments, particularly the physical science basis of climate change, which made great contributions to a deeper sight into climate change science. As the administrator of China Meteorology Administration,he hosted the Strategy of Chinese Meteorological Service and Development, putting forward the three strategies: public, security, and resources-oriented meteorology. He is the pioneer in opening the door of science data sharing in China. IPCC undertaking he involved gain him a 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, and he got the International Meteorological Organization Prize, elected honorary member of American Meteorological Society (AMS), Best Paper Award granted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of USA, and 2013 Volvo Environmental Prize.
