With less sea ice extent and thinner sea ice becoming common, there is a greater transfer of both moisture and heat to the atmosphere in the arctic. Sep 14, 2017 this study was the first to quantitatively elucidate that iceocean albedo feedback is a primary driver of seasonal and yearly variations in arctic sea ice retreat, said ohshima. Buy experimental and theoretical studies of ice albedo feedback processes in the arctic basin by d k perovich isbn. We didnt quite know what to expect when heading to greenland, but these photos will give you an idea of its epic ice formations. Im no expert on the albedo of open water in the arctic, but i wonder if the effects of open water are exaggerated. The primary reason for this sensitivity is that an initial warming or cooling sets in motion a chain of events that amplify the warming or cooling. Experimental and theoretical studies of icealbedo feedback. Feb 16, 2018 an icefree arctic summer will, he argues, have an albedo effect nearly equivalent to that of the last thirty years of warming.
The former, also called normal reflectance, is a measure of a surfaces relative brightness when illuminated and observed vertically. Norges sentrale institutt for vitenskapelig forskning, miljoovervaking og kartlegging av arktis og antarktis. As is mentioned in the forum, the positioning of the thickest ice is worrying or rather, downright scary. An icefree arctic summer will, he argues, have an albedo effect. Arctic sea ice extent reached its apparent annual maximum on march 5, 2020. Aug 23, 2019 arctic ice we thought the ice in antarctica was astounding, but then we visited the arctic. That thickest ice is in the ideal position for it all to be exported out. The story is set in and around baffin bay, the stretch of sea and ice. This is mainly because melting of snow and ice exposes a darker surface and increases the amount of solar energy absorbed in these areas albedo effect. May 14, 2016 the specific humidity in the arctic will increase, and as water vapor is a ghg, this will increase arctic amplification. A summer icefree arctic called by some the blue ocean event will happen within the next few years. Likely causes of the recent changes in arctic sea ice. The cooling between then and the little ice age took several hundred. Albedo is a nondimensional, unitless quantity that indicates how well a surface reflects solar energy.
These changes in the arctic cryosphere and temperature are related through a. At 80north and at the summer solstice the sun angle is only 33 degrees. The weather at north pole has been a subject of drastic alterations in the recent years. June arctic sea ice is declining also, of course, but september, near the equinox, is when albedo effect goes to zero. Arctic albedo under cloudless conditions has decreased from 37% to 31% between 1979 and 2011. The temperature during the past ten thousand years has been stable in a narrow range. Icealbedo feedback is a positive feedback climate process where a change in the area of ice. Judith curry measured arctic sea ice albedo several different ways from longterm ice camps, from aircraft, from her ship floating through the sea ice, and locally by hand. Likely cause of the recent changes in arctic sea ice this is a normal cycle that has repeated, over and over again. Albedo of ice in the arctic seas according to data from aircraft observation rand paper series buzuyev, a. If a surface is perfectly absorbing, none of the sunlight is reflected, it looks black, and the albedo is 0. On average, there is about 65% cloud cover and the optical thickness the actual amount of sunlight that does not get through the clouds is about 28%. The neuroscience of navigation, a world of ice, and a black. As arctic sea ice declines, the effects are being felt far beyond the arctic region.
While gcms underestimate ice retreat, the ice albedo. The warming up to the medieval warming period took several hundred years. This environmental phenomenon is a vicious feedback loop but would painting our roofs white help. Vassnes discusses how reindeer grazing eradicates vegetation that reduces the arctic s heatdeflecting albedo effect. Estimating arctic seaice shortwave albedo from modis data. Dec 17, 2014 for the arctic above 70n, toa insolation peaks at the summer solstice, but the maximum surface albedo from ice peaks about a month earlier may and the maximum surface albedo from open water peaks about a month later july, assuming cloud albedo remains constant. Individually the factors that affect arctic climate are important. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. It was the 11 thlowest maximum in the 42year satellite record. Mar 03, 2020 the 20 best books about the arctic and antarctic to read mar 3, 2020 if you are interested in the arctic or the antarctic then this is a selection of 20 of the best books about the arctic and antartica you can read. Sea icealbedo feedback and nonlinear arctic climate change. Add tags for albedo of ice in the arctic seas according to data from aircraft observations. There has been quite a bit of albedo feedback already multiyear ice is shinier than first year ice, melt ponds absorb more, etc.
If a surface is perfectly reflecting, it reflects all the sunlight, it looks white and has an albedo of 1. The albedo effect due to vanishing sea ice is already responsible for about. A sobering but urgent and engaging book, a farewell to ice shows us ice s role on our planet, its history, and the true dimensions of the current global crisis, offering readers concrete advice about what they can do, and what must be done. The albedo effect due to vanishing sea ice is already responsible for about 25 percent of global warming, according to jennifer francis, a research professor at rutgers university s school of environment and biological sciences.
These graphs show temperature, snow depth, sea ice thickness, and the depth of meltwater ponds for a single location in the arctic ocean through a full year. However, at the solstice, the arctic ice extent has decreased only from 14 million sq kilometers to 10 million on its way to the seasonal minimum of roughly 5 million in midseptember. Pdf observational determination of albedo decrease caused by. For the arctic above 70n, toa insolation peaks at the summer solstice, but the maximum surface albedo from ice peaks about a month earlier may and the maximum surface albedo from open water peaks about a month later july, assuming cloud albedo remains constant. Sep 16, 2011 the seawater albedo values at arctic latitudes came from the study i cited, and the sea ice albedo values came from wiki. Hence a growing polar enthusiasm among energy companiesas witnessed last month in an arctic tieup between exxon mobil, of america, and rosneft, russias statecontrolled oil giant. Arctic albedo is the amount of solar radiation reflected from. Some clouds have an albedo as high as 90% which makes earth appear bright when observed from space. May 10, 2018 the albedo effect due to vanishing sea ice is already responsible for about 25 percent of global warming, according to jennifer francis, a research professor at rutgers university s school of environment and biological sciences. And these are some of the best books to read when travelling for more reading. While gcms underestimate ice retreat, the ice albedo feedback appears wellcaptured. The 20 best books about the arctic and antarctic to read mar 3, 2020 if you are interested in the arctic or the antarctic then this is a selection of 20 of the best books about the arctic and antartica you can read.
Pater and lissauer say that earth has a bond albedo of 0. It is different from other books in so far that it considers the arctic as a system, in which the ocean, land and atmosphere are intimately linked a nice presentation of the successes and shortcomings of models is presented, presently a major effort in the field of atmospheric sciences it is a wellwritten chapter, chapter 10. Clouds and other factors, like aerosols and black carbon, also influence the albedo of earth. The study pointed to the possibility of forecasting the largest sea ice retreat in a given year based on the magnitude of ice divergence in may and june. An icefree arctic summer will, he argues, have an albedo effect nearly equivalent to that of the last thirty years of warming. The arctic is intricately linked to earths climate. Four years of albedo time series measured in shorefast ice near barrow alaska. Why arctic sea ice is in rapid retreat asian scientist. Why is the arctic climate and ice cover so variable.
Restoring reflectivity of arctic ice could be a powerful lever to help in the effort to limit global. Much has been reported about a recent decrease in sea ice in the arctic. They all come together in books providing polar views of the polar regions. Over several years, this positive feedback cycle the icealbedo feedback can influence global climate. We find that the arctic planetary albedo has decreased from 0. Scientists are still trying to figure many things out, but pretty much everyone agrees that a melting arctic isnt a good thing. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. As the arctic warms and the sea ice melts, dark open water along with exposed land replaces white ice and snow.
Serreze is a worldrenowned arctic geographer and climatologist who has conducted fieldwork on ice caps, glaciers, sea ice, and tundra in the canadian and alaskan arctic. Polar sea ice grows and shrinks dramatically each year, driven by seasonal cycles. The amount of light reflected by a surface is expressed as a percentage and is called the albedo. The arctic is reckoned to hold around 15% of the worlds undiscovered oil reserves and 30% of those of natural gas. When an object reflects most of the light that hits it, it looks bright and it has a high albedo. In july, open arctic ocean water is going to have an albedo including clouds of about 0. Heat from the warmer sea is released back into the air raising atmospheric temperatures too. Arctic sea ice albedo a comparison of two satellitederived. Being a climate change specialists favorite topic, mostly due to the fact its primarily influenced by the anthropogenic factor, the arctic offers specific meteorological conditions, which are unique for our planet. The albedos are values averaged over a 200mlong line. Brentford gave the polite smile of a man who talks daily with a living mechanical head about a city in the arctic circle governed by hermaphrodite siamese twins born from a dead woman, and refrained from further comments about the probable and improbable.
Albedo is usually differentiated into two general types. Changes in arctic sea ice these graphs show temperature, snow depth, sea ice thickness, and the depth of meltwater ponds for a single location in the arctic ocean through a full year. That the arctic should be especially sensitive to climate change was recognized in the 19th century. The albedos of surfaces across the arctic and antarctic as well as. The intensity of albedo temperature effects depends on the amount of albedo and the level of local insolation solar irradiance. The researchers calculated that the overall albedo of the arctic region fell from 52 percent to 48 percent between 1979 and 2011. Oct 05, 2015 a back of the envelope calculation for the arctic sea ice volume anomaly trend of 300 km. Just like other areas on earth, weather and climate in the arctic depends on a lot of variables, including latitude that affects how much energy is received from the sun, and the distribution land and water. Though nowhere near a record low, it was well below the 19812010 average. Energy and the polar environment beyond penguins and.
The exposed water and land have a lower albedo, or a lower reflectivity. Experimental and theoretical studies of ice albedo feedback processes in the arctic basin d k perovich on. We didnt quite know what to expect when heading to greenland, but when we saw uncharted bays and giant fjords filled with massive icebergs, we were astonished by their beauty and magnitude. Books on the arctic, antarctic, greenland by michael svoboda on feb 16, 2018 art and science, anxiety and nostalgia. The 20 best books about the arctic and antarctic to read. As a result, more solar radiation is absorbed at the surface, which amplifies the arctic warming.
Over recent decades, the arctic has been the fastestwarming region on the planet. Albedo of ice in the arctic seas according to data from aircraft observation rand paper series. This video tells the story of how it has been changing, as seen from satellites above, and submarines below. Books on the arctic, antarctic and greenland yale climate. However, most of these products contain albedo over the landsurface only, and the albedo over the arctic sea ice region is usually left blank or estimated by the methods based on the lambertian assumption.
Arctic sea ice albedo drops significantly during the arctic summer, then only slowly recovers as the freezing season starts up again in september october. In this mustread book, he blends invaluable insights from his own career with those of other pioneering scientists who, together, ushered in an exciting new age of arctic. If you liked this article about books about the arctic and antartica a safe would be cool pun intended. Now a new study shows how losing sea ice means the top of the planet is absorbing more heat than it did just three decades ago and it makes for a sobering read scientists have noticed big changes in the arctic since satellites started observing earth. Coyote blog blog archive want to save the ice in the arctic. In recent decades, many global and regional longterm albedo products have been derived by geostationary and polarorbit satellite observations liang et al. Arctic sea ice albedo a comparison of two satellitederived data sets article pdf available in geophysical research letters 201. How much do clouds mask the impacts of arctic sea ice and snow.
Heres what vanishing sea ice in the arctic means for you the verge. Some clouds have an albedo as high as 90 % which makes earth appear bright when observed from space. Examine all three graphs to visualize what the location would look like through the year. When an object absorbs most of the light that hits it, it looks dark. The maximum albedo feedback potential probably straddles the summer solstice late june. There it was, the land under 80 degrees, a land of stern magnificence, where icebergs rear up almost to the very mountaintops, and mountain rises above mountain. The neuroscience of navigation, a world of ice, and a black inventor reconstructed. Increasing arctic sea ice albedo using localized reversible. This winter, the area covered by sea ice was the second smallest on record after last year. The albedo of fresh snow is typically between 80 and 90 percent whereas the albedo of the ocean surface is less than 20 percent.
Sep 18, 20 with less sea ice extent and thinner sea ice becoming common, there is a greater transfer of both moisture and heat to the atmosphere in the arctic. Nasa satellites see arctic surface darkening faster nasa. The icealbedo feedback can turn a small climate change into a big climate change. Predicting an icefree arctic summer climate lab book. Its largely for this reason that the arctic region is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. If youre curious what its like to live in the arctic and some of my adventure in the arctic then check out this post about living in the arctic. Sea ice forms directly over water in contrast to glaciers, ice caps, or ice sheets that form over land. According to climate models that pace of ice melt will speed up even more, so much that that there may be no more summer sea ice within the next few decades. Oct 30, 20 arctic albedo under cloudless conditions has decreased from 37% to 31% between 1979 and 2011. Timedependent variations in the arctics surface albedo feedback. Obviously, even at very high latitudes, sea water has a lower albedo than sea ice, so a net reduction of endsummer ice extent will result in a small reduction of our planets overall albedo, as indicated.
Antarctica by kim stanley robinson, the worst journey in the world by apsley cherrygarrard, arctic labyrinth. I read this book with great interest it is different from other books in so far that it considers the arctic as a system, in which the ocean, land and atmosphere are intimately linked a nice presentation of the successes and shortcomings of models is presented, presently a major effort in the field of atmospheric sciences. Mar 31, 2010 over recent decades, the arctic has been the fastestwarming region on the planet. The normal albedo of snow, for example, is nearly 1. The highest rate of change in climate is observed in the arctic where the summer ice. This is the first post in a new series factchecking claims that various climate tipping points have been crossed, and that sudden catastrophic warming is now inevitable. Anytime clouds have albedo the reflectivity of what is below is rendered less important or immaterial. The story is set in and around baffin bay, the stretch of sea and ice between east coast of canada and the. This study was the first to quantitatively elucidate that iceocean albedo feedback is a primary driver of seasonal and yearly variations in arctic sea ice retreat, said ohshima. These particular time series assume melt onset on 29 may and freezeup on august. The neuroscience of navigation, a world of ice, and a.
Albedo of ice in the arctic seas according to data from. The sea ice is melting rapidly in the arctic ocean. Ive never been, but ive always imagined the arctic to be the place where you would feel the most isolated from the rest of the world. Sea ice albedo feedback and nonlinear arctic climate change michael winton geophysical fluid dynamics laboratory, noaa, princeton, new jersey, usa the potential for sea ice albedo feedback to give rise to nonlinear climate change in the arctic ocean region, defined as a nonlinear relationship between polar and.
For context on the topic of the variability of arctic climate, see these previous blog posts. The significance of arctic sea ice albedo loss by melting was kwon by 1960 arctic research. If seaice retreats in the arctic, the albedo of the sea will be darker which means more. In this issues science and literacy department, we discuss the suns role in warming earth, the albedo reflectivity of earths diverse surfaces, and how the decline of arctic sea ice is affecting earths energy balance. Alll of the above are losing albedo because of rapid melting in the summer due to rapid arctic warming. Factors affecting arctic weather and climate national snow. Sciforum preprints scilit sciprofiles mdpi books encyclopedia mdpi blog. So, regardless of the sea surface conditions, the albedo is going to start out at least 0. Heres what vanishing sea ice in the arctic means for you.
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