For this week\'s reflective writing, we would like you to consider how the albed

Question

For this week's reflective writing, we would like you to consider how the albedo changes in each of the following scenarios would change global temperature. Explain your reasoning in each case. In each case, you will need to refer to the following table of typical albedos. Albedo Approximate Values: Glacial ice: =0.80 Ocean Surface: =0.07 Marine Stratus Clouds: Highly variable, but =0.60 is a reasonable number. Desert Sand: =0.40 Grasslands: =0.20 Bare rock: =0.30 Scenario #1: As the Earth warms, we observe that most of the glaciers and ice sheets on Earth have been getting smaller. About 10% of the land surface of Earth is covered by glaciers and ice sheets, with most of this ice on Greenland and Antarctica. Suppose that all of this ice were to melt. How would this change the Earth's albedo? And how would we expect the Earth's temperature to change as a result of this change in albedo? Why would you expect to see this type of change? (you will need to use some of the numbers in the table to answer this question)

Explanation / Answer

The higher albedo means the radiation from sun is reflected back to the soace with high efficiency. By melting of ice sheets the irradiance at those place will lead to the absorbtion of nearly whole energy and it definitely disturb the oceanic currents. Secondly, additional volume of water will occupy extra landscapes reduces greenary and less place for ecology.

The change in oceanic currents also change the place of evaporation and thus cloud formation and its direction of driven and eventually place of precipitation. Same thing has been suffered by shahara desert.

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