1. What is Albedo? Albedo is a measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects. High albedo means more reflection and less absorption of heat.
2. Glacier Surfaces and Albedo Glaciers typically have a high albedo because their white surfaces reflect most of the sunlight. This helps keep them cool.
3. Purple Ice Algae Blooms In summer, purple-colored ice algae bloom on glaciers. These blooms cover the white ice with a darker color.
4. Effect on Albedo The dark color of the algae reduces the albedo of the glacier surface. Lower albedo means the glacier absorbs more sunlight instead of reflecting it.
5. Consequence: Accelerated Melting With more sunlight absorption, the glacier warms up and melts faster. This accelerated melting is a significant contributor to the global increase in glacier melt rates.
Summary Purple ice algae reduce the reflectivity of glacier surfaces, causing them to absorb more heat and melt faster, contributing to the worldwide accelerated melting of glaciers.
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