How does albedo relate to the study of climate change?

Answer 1

Scientists use the term albedo to define the percentage of solar energy reflected back by a surface. Understanding local, regional, and global albedo effects is critical to predicting global climate change. The following are some of the factors that influence the earth's albedo: Clouds, Surface, Oceans and Forests

Answer 2

Albedo is the scientific term for the ratio of reflected light energy where total absorption is 0 and total reflection is 1. The Earth's albedo is ~.35. The amount of light energy that is absorbed and turned into heat is what mainly determines our global temperature. Increasing our albedo by 1%, a .01 increase, would be expected to result in a 1% drop in our global temperature, which is around 288 Kelvin, resulting in an expected temperature decrease of about 2.88 degrees Kelvin/Centigrade.

Answer 3

The albedo effect refers to the way the white of icecaps and glaciers reflects solar heat. If a glacier melts, then the earth below is darker and absorbs more heat, causing an increase in atmospheric warming. If the icecap is darkened, as sometimes happens from soot particles, it absorbs more heat and melts more quickly.