What is albedo definition?

Albedo is a measure of a surface’s reflectivity. Specifically, it refers to the fraction of incoming radiation that a surface reflects back into the atmosphere or space. A surface with a high albedo reflects more radiation and appears brighter, while a surface with a low albedo reflects less radiation and appears darker.

The albedo of a surface depends on a variety of factors, including the texture and color of the surface, the angle of the incoming radiation, and the wavelength of the radiation. For example, a surface covered in snow has a high albedo because it reflects a large amount of sunlight back into the atmosphere. Conversely, a dark forest has a low albedo because it absorbs more sunlight than it reflects.

Albedo plays an important role in climate science because it affects the amount of energy that Earth absorbs from the sun. In general, surfaces with high albedo reflect more of the sun's energy back into space, which can help to cool the planet. However, when surfaces with high albedo (such as snow and ice) melt due to rising temperatures, they expose darker surfaces (such as soil and water) with lower albedo, which can lead to more warming.

Overall, albedo is an important concept in Earth science and is used to understand and model the Earth's climate system.