According to a study, the Earth’s brightness has decreased as a result of warming ocean waters, with our planet now reflecting half a watt less light per square metre than it did 20 years ago. The study, which was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, drew on decades of earthshine measurements to illuminate the Moon’s surface.
The researchers also examined satellite data, discovering a substantial decrease in Earth’s reflectivity, or albedo, during the last two decades.

They discovered that Earth currently reflects roughly half a watt less light per square metre than it did 20 years ago, with the majority of the decrease coming in the latest three years of earthshine data. According to the researchers, this equates to a 0.5% drop in the Earth’s reflectance. They discovered that the Earth reflects around 30% of the sunlight that falls on it.

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According to the researchers, the fading tendency became evident when the current data was added to the prior years. They discovered that two factors influence the net sunlight reaching the Earth: the brightness of the Sun and the planet’s reflectivity. The researchers found variations in Earth’s albedo that did not coincide with periodic changes in the Sun’s brightness, implying that changes in Earth’s reflectiveness are produced by something on the Earth.

According to NASA’s Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) study, there has been a drop in brilliant, reflecting low-lying clouds over the eastern Pacific Ocean in recent years. According to the researchers, this is the same location where rises in sea surface temperatures have been seen as a result of the reversal of a meteorological state that is likely linked to global climate change. According to the researchers, the darkening of the Earth may also be observed in how the Earth’s climate system is capturing considerably more solar energy.

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The researchers noted that once this considerable extra solar energy is in the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, it may contribute to global warming. This is due to the fact that the extra sunlight has the same magnitude as the overall anthropogenic climate forcing, or a variety of human-induced variables, that they have contributed during the previous two decades.
 

Last Updated Oct 1, 2021, 8:19 PM IST