solar radiation

As the Arctic warms at a faster rate than the rest of the planet, Earth’s overall surface becomes less reflective and thereby increases the absorption of solar radiation.

The image is a panorama composed of 19 pictures, capturing the pink beams of solar radiation that lit up the sky in February 2023.

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but the idea of reflecting solar radiation, the technical term for sunlight, is not as crazy as it might sound and sometimes happens in the natural world.

“It’s a trend that can’t be explained by any natural causes, such as changes in volcanic eruptions or solar radiation,” she said.

The satellite is equipped with four instruments to study the role of clouds and aerosols — particles suspended in the atmosphere — in reflecting solar radiation back into space and trapping infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface.