Terrestrial Albedo Changes Flashcards
What is albedo?
Albedo represents the ability of a surface to reflect short-wave solar energy back into space, usually presented as a percentage.
How do darker and brighter surfaces affect solar radiation?
Darker surfaces absorb more solar radiation, while brighter surfaces reflect it.
Why is albedo important for climate regulation?
Albedo plays a long-term role in regulating climate and is critical to the energy budget, influencing long-wave infra-red radiation re-radiated to the atmosphere.
What factors influence surface albedo?
Factors include land cover changes, seasonal vegetation variations, and surface types like ice, snow, forest, and ocean.
How does seasonal vegetation affect albedo?
Seasonal changes in vegetation lead to dramatic differences in albedo, with bright surfaces like fresh snow having high albedo and dark surfaces like dense forest having low albedo.
What is the albedo range for ice?
Ice has an albedo of 80-95%.
What happens to albedo when ice cover is lost?
Loss of ice cover converts to darker land or ocean surfaces, reducing albedo significantly.
What is a positive feedback loop in the context of albedo?
A positive feedback loop occurs when reduced albedo increases ocean temperatures, leading to further atmospheric warming.
What human activities impact terrestrial land use and albedo?
Deforestation, converting land to pasture, and urbanization impact land surfaces and disturb albedo rates.
How does urbanization affect albedo?
Urbanization decreases albedo as concrete structures absorb solar energy, creating urban-micro climates.
Fill in the blank: Bright, reflective surfaces, such as fresh snow, have a _______ albedo.
high
Fill in the blank: Dark, absorptive surfaces, such as dense forest, have a _______ albedo.
low
What did the NASA maps from 2000-2012 show regarding surface albedo?
They showed significant variation in albedo but no definitive long-term increase or decrease.
True or False: Human land use changes only affect local scales and have no significant impact on global albedo.
True
What is the impact of forest loss on albedo?
Loss of dense forest leads to an increase in albedo as darker forest is converted to lighter land.
What is the estimated rate of Arctic sea ice loss according to WWF?
Arctic sea ice loss is estimated at 3% per decade.
What role do land surfaces play in the Earth’s energy balance?
Land surfaces re-radiate heat back into the atmosphere via evaporation, convection, and long-wave infra-red radiation.
