Cryosat getting it right on the ground (Cryovex)
In Spring 2005 the European Space Agency ESA will be launching a new satellite that has the important task of measuring the polar Ice regions to prove once and for all whether theyíre melting or not and, if they are, to what extent. During its 3-year mission, CRYOSAT will take precise and accurate measurements of the total area of the earthís snow and ice, known as the Cryosphere - all 50 million square kilometres of it.
(Launch of a satellite? Followed by images of Ice bergs and Greenland ice sheet)
Quote 1 Malcolm Davidson/ Cryovex campaign Coordinator
""Cryosat is different from previous efforts to measure ice thickness because Cryosat provides an overview, a complete overview of the ice thickness changes both in the North Pole and the South Pole.""
Polar Ice, which covers around 20% of the Earthís surface, plays a crucial role in regulating the Earthís climate: by reflecting sunlight back out into space, by insulating the ocean against polar climates, a