All articles tagged with #albedo
Originally Published 22 days ago — by Live Science
Venus appears so bright in the night sky primarily due to its high albedo, reflecting about 76% of sunlight because of its thick cloud cover of sulfuric acid droplets, and its proximity to Earth, making it the second-brightest object after the Moon. Its brightness varies with its phase, distance from Earth, and the scattering of sunlight by its clouds, sometimes making it visible during the day.
Originally Published 2 months ago — by Earth.com
A recent study reveals that a decrease in Earth's reflectivity due to fewer low clouds in key regions like the North Atlantic and tropics contributed significantly to the 2023 global temperature surge, adding extra solar energy to the system and accelerating warming beyond greenhouse gases and El Niño effects.
Originally Published 2 months ago — by Live Science
Recent satellite data reveal that the Earth's Northern Hemisphere is absorbing more sunlight than the Southern Hemisphere, breaking the long-standing symmetry. This shift is attributed to melting snow and ice, reduced pollution, and increased water vapor, potentially impacting global climate patterns. The study highlights the complex interactions between clouds, aerosols, and surface changes in Earth's energy balance.
Originally Published 3 months ago — by pcworld.com
NASA warns that Earth is reflecting less sunlight, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, due to factors like melting ice and reduced aerosols, leading to increased heat absorption and potential long-term climate impacts.
Originally Published 3 months ago — by 404 Media
Scientists have discovered that Earth is getting darker overall, with a more pronounced darkening in the Northern Hemisphere, likely due to climate change, aerosol pollution reduction, and natural disasters, challenging the long-held assumption of hemispheric symmetry in Earth's reflectivity.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Earth.com
A new study by the Alfred Wegener Institute suggests that changes in Earth's cloud cover, particularly a decline in low-altitude clouds, may explain a recent unexplained 0.2°C surge in global warming. This decline reduces Earth's albedo, meaning less sunlight is reflected back into space, contributing to higher global temperatures. The study highlights the critical role of clouds in climate regulation and suggests that this feedback loop between warming and cloud loss could accelerate global warming, potentially crossing the 1.5°C threshold sooner than expected.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Ars Technica
A study by German scientists suggests that the Earth is absorbing more sunlight due to reduced cloud cover, contributing to accelerated global warming. In 2023, a record energy imbalance was observed, with decreased albedo, or reflectivity, largely due to a decline in low-level clouds over northern mid-latitude and tropical oceans. This phenomenon may indicate a feedback loop where rising temperatures reduce cloud cover, further enhancing warming. The findings imply that future climate sensitivity could be higher than current estimates, emphasizing the urgency to understand these changes.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Phys.org
Researchers from UC Irvine and the University of Michigan have identified that a commonly used climate model overestimates the albedo of ice by about 5%, leading to underestimations of ice melt. By incorporating more accurate ice reflectivity data, the model now shows the Greenland Ice Sheet melting at a rate of six gigatons more than previously estimated. This finding highlights the importance of accounting for microphysical properties of ice, such as the effects of algae and dust, in climate models.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by SpaceNews
Albedo, an Earth-observation startup, has raised $35 million in a Series A-1 investment round to accelerate the deployment of its very low Earth orbit (VLEO) constellation, aiming to provide high-resolution Earth imagery with 10-centimeter resolution and two-meter thermal imagery for commercial and defense customers. The funding, led by Standard Investments, brings the total funding to $97 million and will support the launch of the company's first satellite in 2025.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Phys.org
A study by Sandia researchers using GPS satellite radiometer data has revealed new insights into the reduction of sunlight reflectivity, or albedo, in the Arctic, which is heating up at a rate four times faster than the rest of the planet. The study found a 20% to 35% decrease in total reflectivity over the Arctic summer, with one-third attributed to fully melted ice and the remaining two-thirds likely caused by the weathering of the remaining sea ice. The researchers hope that their findings will be incorporated into models for Arctic amplification and plan to continue mining the GPS data for further analysis.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by BGR
Astronomers have discovered an intriguing planet, LTT9779 b, located 260 light-years away from Earth, which reflects around 80 percent of its star's light despite its close proximity to the star. The planet, estimated to have a surface temperature of 2,000 degrees Celsius, is believed to have metal clouds made of silicate and titanate, creating a mirror-like effect. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about cloud formation in hot planets and highlights the complexity of our universe.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Ars Technica
Astronomers have discovered a "hot Neptune" exoplanet called LTT9779 b, which reflects 80% of the light shone on it, making it the shiniest exoplanet ever observed. The planet's high albedo is a mystery, as it is located extremely close to its star and should not have any clouds. However, observations from the Cheops satellite suggest that the planet's atmosphere is super-saturated with silicate and metal vapors, allowing metallic clouds to form. This indicates that the planet started out as a gas giant but has been losing mass over time. Further observations from telescopes like Hubble and James Webb could provide more insights into this intriguing world.