Melting ice exposes dark rocks that absorb more heat and accelerate further warming
As alpine glaciers retreat, they reveal dark underlying terrain that absorbs solar energy, creating a feedback loop that significantly accelerates the melting of remaining ice.
The albedo effect plays a critical role in mountain ecosystems, where white ice reflects about 50% of sunlight. When glaciers like Austria's Pasterze retreat, they expose dark rocks that absorb up to 80% of solar heat, further warming the surrounding air and speeding up the melt.
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