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Even if we made every roof and every road a pure titanium white, it wouldn't make up for more than a fraction of the albedo change caused by the shrinking of th
by olefoo 17y ago
Even if we made every roof and every road a pure titanium white, it wouldn't make up for more than a fraction of the albedo change caused by the shrinking of the ice caps.
In the US roads cover less than 3% of the surface and all artificial structures together cover less than 10% of the surface.
- yummyfajitas 17y agoThe relevant quantity is not albedo x area. The relevant quantity is energy reflected = albedo x area x energy deposition. Energy deposition is low near the poles. That's why they are cold.
- olefoo 17y agoYes, and surface albedo is only one of many factors affecting the global heat budget. Dr. Schneider's site is a reasonably good point to start understanding the complexities of climate change. http://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/index.html http://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/index.html