IGOS Cryosphere Theme

Home

  |   What is the Cryosphere?   |   IPY   |   GEO   |   Blog  | 
Contacts
   

 Challenge  »
 History and Status  »
 Approach  »
 Achievements  »
 Timeline  »
 Needs  »
 Documents  »
 Contributors  »
 Workshops/Meetings  »
       Workshop #1  »
       Workshop #2  »
       Workshop #3  »
 Feedback  »
 Links  »
 Acronyms  »


Theme Report
(citation)
  


The IGOS program ended in ~2008 so this site
is no longer updated or maintained.
Cryosphere Theme

The IGOS Cryosphere Theme was a combined initiative of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) Project and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).  The Theme created a framework for improved coordination of cryospheric observations for the purpose of a more comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated cryosphere observing system. One of its goals was to facilitate the flow of data and information in cryospheric research, long-term scientific monitoring, and operational applications. The IGOS Cryosphere Theme report was published in 2007.

The IGOS Partnership was dissolved in 2008 with the intention that the IGOS themes would be transitioned into the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) framework. Many recommendations of the Cryosphere Theme will be implemented by the WMO Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW).
This site provides information on the development of the IGOS Cryosphere Theme. It is not an official site of the Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) project, the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), or the Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partners (IGOS-P). The official IGOS-P Cryosphere Theme web page is on the IGOS web site.
IGOS Objectives
The principal objectives of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) are to address how well user requirements are being met by the existing mix of observations, including those of the global observing systems, and how they could be met in the future through better integration and optimization of remote sensing (especially space-based) and in-situ systems. IGOS serves as guidance to those responsible for defining and implementing individual observing systems. Implementation of the Strategy, i.e., the establishment and maintenance of the components of an integrated global observing system, lies with those governments and organizations that have made relevant commitments, for example, within the governing councils of the observing systems' sponsors.