Glacier monitoring and the National Snow and Ice Data Center

Glacier ice covers approximately ten percent of the Earth´s land surfaces, and has scientific and economic importance. The amount of ice locked up in glacier ice affects sea level and many urban areas around the world depend on glaciers to moderate the fluctuations in water supply during the year. Glacier extent and mass balance are important indicators of regional climate change. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) facilitates the study of glaciers through archival and distribution of a variety of glacier-related products and participation in a key glacier monitoring project