Recent Change - Terrestrial Cryosphere

• Main Authors: Rasmus, Sirpa, Boelhouwers, Jan, Briede, Agrita, Brown, Ian A., Falarz, Malgorzata, Ingvander, Susanne, Jaagus, Jaak, Kitaev, Lev, Mercer, Andrew, Rimkus, Egidijus
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: seasonal snow cover; glaciers; seasonally frozen ground; permafrost; glacier; Ice
• Online Access: http://vu.lvb.lt/VU:ELABAPDB11905459&prefLang=en_US

This chapter compiles and assesses information on recent and current change within the terrestrial cryosphere of the Baltic Sea drainage basin. Findings are based on long-term observations. Snow cover extent (SCE), duration and amount have shown a widespread decrease although there is large interannual and regional variation. Few data are available on changes in snow structural properties. There is no evidence for a recent change in the frequency or severity of snow-related extreme events. There has been a decrease in glacier coverage in Sweden and glacier ice thickness in inland Scandinavia. The European permafrost is warming, and there has been a northward retreat of the southern boundary of near-surface permafrost in European Russia.