Phys.org  July 17, 2024 Sea ice cools Earth by reducing its absorbed solar energy. An international team of researchers (USA – University of Michigan, Finland) combined radiative transfer modeling with satellite-derived surface albedo, sea ice, and cloud distributions to quantify the top-of-atmosphere sea ice radiative effect (SIRE). The Arctic Sea ice radiative effect has weakened by about 24%, since 1980. The planetary cooling effects of Arctic and Antarctic Sea ice during 2016–2023 were about 20% and 12% less, respectively, than they were during 1980–1988. Arctic SIRE has weakened, implying a 21%–27% reduction in the reflective power of Arctic Sea ice […]