Ice & Albedo: Earth's Energy Balance

Modern EarthFeedback: On

Bright ice reflects sunlight. That one fact gives Earth more than one possible climate, with a tipping point between them.

Ice-albedo feedback
Ice changes how much sunlight is reflected.
Natural eventsA short shock: haze blocks sunlight for years, then settles out of the atmosphere.The long lever: ages of eruptions push the CO₂ slider itself, until the ice gives way. Rain brings it back down.
CO₂ in the atmosphere (420 ppm)
9042010k120k
That is about today. More CO₂ traps more heat and reshapes the landscape. Watch the valleys move.
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