Climate change has caused Earth brightness to dim: Study
Zee News
Warming ocean waters have caused a drop in the brightness of the Earth, according to a study which found that our planet is now reflecting about half a watt less light per square metre than it was 20 years ago.
Washington: Warming ocean waters have caused a drop in the brightness of the Earth, according to a study which found that our planet is now reflecting about half a watt less light per square metre than it was 20 years ago.
The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, used decades of measurements of earthshine -- the light reflected from Earth that illuminates the surface of the Moon. The researchers also analysed satellite measurements, finding that there has been a significant drop in Earth's reflectance, or albedo, over the past two decades.
They found that Earth is now reflecting about half a watt less light per square metre than it was 20 years ago, with most of the drop occurring in the last three years of earthshine data. That is the equivalent of 0.5 per cent decrease in the Earth's reflectance, according to the researchers.
