Sentences with phrase «ice sheet albedo»

Scientists seeking to quantify how much various factors contribute to ice sheet albedo face numerous challenges.

In their latest Science paper submittal Jim Hansen, et al. argue that we must reduce atmospheric CO2 to below 350 ppm because so - called «slow feedbacks» such as changes in ice sheet albedo are occurring much faster than expected.

What is being talked about here is influence of the seasonal radiative forcing change from the earth's wobble around the sun (the well established Milankovitch theory of ice ages), combined with the positive feedback of ice sheet albedo (less ice = less reflection of sunlight = warmer temperatures) and greenhouse gas concentrations (higher temperatures lead to more CO2 leads to warmer temperatures).

These include intrinsic limitations in current observational capabilities (e.g., spatial and radiometric resolution of currently available spaceborne sensors) and limitations on how accurately surface energy balance models handle ice sheet albedo.

Ice sheet albedo forcing is estimated to have caused a global mean forcing of about — 3.2 W m — 2 (based on a range of several LGM simulations) and radiative forcing from increased atmospheric aerosols (primarily dust and vegetation) is estimated to have been about — 1 W m — 2 each.

As I explained, you * can * get at climate sensitivity with the ice core record, but only by taking into account all the forcing (including, in particular, the ice sheet albedo).

article, Hansen estimates that the radiative forcing from all greenhouse gases together (glacial - interglacial) is -2.6 + / - 0.5 W / m ^ 2, and ice sheet albedo is -3.5 + / -1 W / m ^ 2.

Ice sheet albedo forcing is estimated to have caused a global mean forcing of about — 3.2 W m — 2 (based on a range of several LGM simulations) and radiative forcing from increased atmospheric aerosols (primarily dust and vegetation) is estimated to have been about — 1 W m — 2 each.