3 ms·
Why would the albedo of water change?
by flangola7 4y ago
Why would the albedo of water change?
- olddustytrail 4y agoBecause ice is shinier than dark water.
- steve_adams_86 4y agoThe change in albedo is due to ice receding and revealing darker water, which absorbs more energy than ice does. The net effect is more solar energy being held in the ocean and atmosphere. The same thing happens anywhere there is ice. Think of mountain tops revealing dark gray rock which heats to 30 degrees Celsius in summer in a location where there was previously ice. The ice would melt, yet reflect energy and still be cooler than the air, but the rock just radiates heat into the atmosphere (and remaining ice surrounding it).