The average sea ice zone albedo for August was approximately 15 percent smaller in 2009 than it was in 1982, Aku Riihelä, a remote sensing scientist at Finnish Meteorological Institute and lead author of the study, said in an email. (scientificamerican.com)
During summer months, the albedo in the Arctic sea ice zone regulates the radiation balance in the region, which is why albedo is crucial to the Arctic climate. (sciencedaily.com)
Recruitment is related to the winter sea ice cover from the previous year, as diminished sea ice cover reduces habitat available for over-wintering juvenile and adult krill and reduces the size of the food - rich marginal sea ice zone in summer. (journals.plos.org)