albedo

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected by a surface, expressed as a value between zero and one; surfaces with high albedo such as fresh snow, sea ice, and white clouds reflect most incoming sunlight back into space and have a cooling effect on the climate system; dark surfaces such as open ocean and boreal forest have low albedo and absorb more solar energy; as sea ice melts due to warming, the exposed ocean absorbs more heat, reducing albedo and amplifying warming in a process known as the ice-albedo feedback