Abstract
Recent decline of cryosphere typified by retreat of glaciers is often explained by temperature rise due to global warming. However, the existence of glaciers shrinking since before 1950s warming accelerated suggested that decline of cryosphere may be due to not only temperature rise, but also another possibility. As a possible cause of snow and ice melting, it has been pointed out that the surface albedo reduction due to increase of snow impurity, aeolian dust and anthropogenic pollutant, for example. To clarify the quantitative relationship between albedo and impurity in snow surface, we investigated the correlativity of turbidity and metal concentration in snow to the snow surface albedo from the simultaneous observations on the snow-covered area in Yamagata, Japan. The observed albedo shows a tendency of decrease with the turbidity increase in snow surface, we could find strong correlation between the albedo and the turbidity in 76% of contribution factor using logarithmic regression analysis. The relationship of albedo to total concentration of Fe and Al in snow surface shows the similar tendency to turbidity, we could model the relationship using logarithmic equation with high value of contribution ratio, 74% and 66%, respectively. The concentration ratio of Fe/Al is nearly constant with about 0.75, which is close to mean crustal ratio of both elements, therefore, it can be said there is a strong correlation between the albedo and the concentration of mineral particle in snow surface. We cannot find a significant correlation between the albedo and total concentration of Na in snow surface. It can be considered that Na existed as dissolved ion has not significant effect to the albedo in snow surface. These results indicate that the snow albedo correlates strongly with the particulate matter in snow surface, which is typified by mineral particle.
Highlights
Rapid decline of cryosphere typified by retreat of polar and alpine glaciers and decrease of sea ice area have attracted attention as the results of global warming problem
We carried out the simultaneous observations of albedo and impurity particles mass in snow surface at Yamagata, Japan, and investigated the correlativity of turbidity and total concentration of metal components to the albedo
The observed albedo data show a tendency of decrease with the turbidity increasing in snow surface, and we could find the strong correlation of both factors with 76% of contribution ratio using the logarithmic regression analysis
Summary
Rapid decline of cryosphere typified by retreat of polar and alpine glaciers and decrease of sea ice area have attracted attention as the results of global warming problem. It is reported that alpine glaciers has been shrinking since before the recent global warming [1] and the melting rate of snow and ice is inexplicable only by the temperature rise due to the grobal warming [2]. These previous studies indicate inconsistent result with the generally accepted theory, which explain the cause of snow and ice melting in recent years by the global warming
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