How does the Arctic help keep the planet cool?

Answer 1

Some scientists are concerned about a thin layer of soot, which is mostly invisible. That soot may be warming up the Arctic, melting its ice and snow. They wanted to find the cause of Arctic warming.Air and ocean water from all over the Earth circulate. That moves heat to the Arctic. Most places tend to absorb heat from the sun. However, the ice and snow of the polar regions reflect that heat. This allows the polar regions to cool the planet. One thought is soot, or black carbon. Soot is produced by auto and truck engines, aircraft exhaust, burning forests, and the use of wood- or coal-burning stoves. The soot may not be visible. Still, even a little soot can mean that less energy is reflected. some other scientists think that as the highly reflective snow and ice melt, the warming problem is made worse. There are dark surfaces of land and ocean beneath the ice. When the ice melts, these are exposed. They absorb more heat. This further heats the atmosphere. The scientists hoped that their studies would help lead to widespread efforts to reduce soot pollution. They believe that cutting the amount of pollutants, such as soot, could reduce therate of warming in the Arctic.