albedo: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	reflection coefficient

Photos

sea ice and albedo

Map of the Arctic region showing the decline in minimum sea ice extent from 1980 to 2020. The area covered by sea ice in 1980 is outlined in white, while the much smaller area remaining in 2020 is shaded in purple, illustrating significant sea ice loss over four decades around the North Pole and Arctic Ocean.

See All Images →

Topics

normal albedo light reflection Halo Cellini’s halo total internal reflection