A Controlled Experiment of Surface Albedo Modification to Reduce Ice Melt

Abstract Loss of reflectivity in the Arctic and the wider cryosphere is known to increase global temperature rise through an ice‐albedo feedback loop, which has the potential to lead to loss of summertime ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, and to accelerate global warming. Despite the urgency of this si...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Earth's Future
Main Authors: D. Johnson, A. Manzara, L. A. Field, D. R. Chamberlin, A. Sholtz
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022
Subjects:
ice melt processes
surface albedo modification
surface melt
cryosphere
energy balance
contained small research‐scale field experiment
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Ecology
QH540-549.5
Arctic
Arctic Ocean
albedo
Global warming
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF002883
https://doaj.org/article/aef5e0a710884d7795bfeb8fd5b17a3d
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Summary:Abstract Loss of reflectivity in the Arctic and the wider cryosphere is known to increase global temperature rise through an ice‐albedo feedback loop, which has the potential to lead to loss of summertime ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, and to accelerate global warming. Despite the urgency of this situation, there are few options being developed to preserve and restore ice reflectivity. Localized surface albedo modification using reflective materials offers a potential pathway to restore Arctic ice. We conducted a controlled experiment to determine effects of surface albedo modification on ice melt and thermodynamic processes of a pond. We applied a coating of hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) to a test section, while leaving a control section unmodified. Laboratory measurements show that the loading of HGM materials used corresponds to a reflectivity of 30%. We measured ice and snow thickness, albedo, incoming and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation, and ice, water, and ambient temperatures. A 1‐D thermodynamic model was developed to quantify the effect of albedo modification on the processes of heat transfer, energy absorption and ice melt. The albedo increased from 0.17 on a control section to 0.36 on a test section. During the 2‐week melt period, there was a 29% reduction in net radiative energy into the test section and a 33% reduction of ice melting rate measured by volume. This experiment using quantitative methods elucidates the mechanisms of ice preservation through surface albedo modification and demonstrates its effectiveness.

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