Albedo refers to the reflectivity of a surface or object. It measures how much light or radiation it reflects back into the environment. A high
albedo means the surface or object reflects a lot of light, while a low
albedo means it absorbs more light.
Full definition
Reasons that passive microwave data may not detect ice include the presence of thin, newly formed ice; the shift in
albedo of actively melting ice; and atmospheric interference.
More surface warming than cloud - height warming is indicative of surface
albedo change and / or fewer clouds and / or increase in solar «constant».
These runs are examined for evidence of accelerated climate change associated with the removal of sea ice, particularly due to increasing
surface albedo feedback.
The scientific community had an understanding that overall
albedo decreases with declining ice, but the new study is distinctive for putting a number on the decline.
In other words, don't let the perception or possibility of «moral hazard» stop you from doing the research
on albedo modification in the first place.
Scientists lack even the observational tools to measure the effects of
albedo modification, the report states.
How CO2 affects the climate is by heating the surface air which alters the planetary
albedo by melting ice sheets and increasing cloud cover by encouraging evaporation of water vapour.
Thus the BC -
snow albedo effect contributes to warming.
I have a question: is there a point at which
albedo loss equals CO2 forcing?
Other factors potentially include added methane and perhaps reduced
albedo due to land.
This is in contrast to the
Bond albedo, which describes the total amount of energy reflected across all wavelengths and always falls in the range of 0 to 1.
We need to communicate the other important processes involved in
albedo reduction to both scientists and the general public.
Thinking about electrons, it turns out, can also generate some terrifying thoughts
about albedo.
The difference in
albedo between open ocean and ice / snow in the polar region is small due to the low sun angle.
So albedo has had an effect on global temperatures - mostly a cooling effect on long term trends.
Does anyone know of a good graph which shows the change in
albedo over the last... well, as far back as possible?
• We do not need to differ between low & high clouds, only their
total albedo effect matters.
We may eventually reach a point
where albedo hacking becomes necessary, but field experimentation poses its own risks unless an international oversight framework is first established.
A knowledge of sea ice extent is important because ice cover has a strong
albedo warming feedback.
; (2) How does the vegetation - structure change
influence albedo and other components of land surface energy balance?