ExpertGlossary

• The fraction of solar radiation reflected by a surface or object, often expressed as a percentage. Snow covered surfaces have a high albedo; the albedo of soils ranges from high to low; vegetation covered surfaces and oceans have a low albedo. The Earth's albedo varies mainly through varying cloudiness, snow, ice, leaf area and land cover changes.
  EPA - Cite This Source - This Definition
• The fraction of the total solar radiation incident on a body that is reflected by it. Albedo can be expressed as either a percentage or a fraction of 1. Snow covered areas have a high albedo (up to about 0.9 or 90%) due to their white color, while vegetation has a low albedo (generally about 0.1 or 10%) due to the dark color and light absorbed for photosynthesis. Clouds have an intermediate albedo and are the most important contributor to the Earth's albedo. The Earth's aggregate albedo is approximately 0.3. See radiation, radiative forcing, photosynthesis.
  EPA - Cite This Source - This Definition
• the reflectivity of a surface, defined mathematically as the fraction of radiation striking a surface that is reflected.
  NCDC National Climatic Data Center - Cite This Source - This Definition
• Albedo or surface reflectivity. The ratio of the amount of electromagnetic radiation reflected by a body (surface) to the amount incident upon it, commonly expressed as a percentage.
  NSIDC - Cite This Source - This Definition
• Browse Related Terms: Frost, Frost point, Hydrologic Cycle, hydrologic cycle (or water cycle), Hydrometeor, Wetlands

Also listed in:

• All > Science > Weather