GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The change in albedo acts to reinforce the initial alteration in ice area leading to more warming. Warming tends to decrease ice cover and hence decrease the albedo, increasing the amount of solar energy absorbed and leading to more warming.

Detailed explanation-2: -But, when warming causes snow and ice to melt, darker colored surfaces are exposed, albedo decreases, less solar energy is reflected out to space, and the planet warms even more. This is known as the ice-albedo feedback.

Detailed explanation-3: -Ice-and snow-covered areas have high albedo, and an ice-covered Arctic reflects solar radiation which otherwise would be absorbed by the oceans and cause the Earth’s surface to heat up.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Effect of Rising Temperatures This occurs because as the Arctic experiences warming, the resulting sea ice and snow loss significantly lowers the albedo of the Arctic. This results in increased absorption of solar radiation, leading to a cycle of more sea ice melt.