Greenland’s “Dark Snow” Is Coming to America

Snow is getting darker? What? Well, according to this article that's exactly what's happening. Basically, climate scientists in the article are saying that as the atmosphere gets more and more polluted, snow gets more and more "dark." Dark snow/ Black snow doesn't reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere as well as light snow/ White snow; otherwise known as albedo-the amount of light that is reflected back into Space.

Snow isn’t as white as it once was, and it’s setting off a melting feedback loop.

Back in September, I interviewed Jason Box, a climate scientist whose work focuses on tracking the albedo, or reflectance, of the Greenland ice sheet. According to Box’s measurements (and his stunning photos), something weird is happening—the snow and ice there are increasingly black, and scientists aren’t exactly sure why.

And now, the first ever continental-scale survey of North American snowfall suggests that our snow is pretty dirty, too.

Scientists are sounding the alarm to what's going on with the environment but the World just keeps spinning to the same music. The Obama administration has a plan to cut Methane emissions 45% by 2025 but that may be too little too late. www.bostonglobe.com...

What says ATS?

www.slate.com...

a reply to: lostbook

Interesting, could you link and post some pictures to this phenomena? So many fronts to keep a close watch on, but yes pictures help in this type of discussion. Any other links would be appreciated as well.

I remember reading about this when the "greenhouse effect" was first being talked about. The holes in the ozone, black particles in the snow absorbing the heat, etc, etc. Not saying it isn't bad, but, back then, they made it seem like the world was going to end before 2000.

a reply to: antar

Here you go, from Greenland.

PIC source and more info

originally posted by: lostbook
What says ATS?

Yes.

Ice is black in Greenland because of forest fires in Canada.

Therefore, we're "f'd" according to the "scientist."

What do I think?

No.

Can this be tied to vulcanism in Iceland?
not sure of the prevailing winds but think icelands recent eruptions....

originally posted by: superman2012
I remember reading about this when the "greenhouse effect" was first being talked about. The holes in the ozone, black particles in the snow absorbing the heat, etc, etc. Not saying it isn't bad, but, back then, they made it seem like the world was going to end before 2000.

The world may just be sick; not dying. However, if the Earth is dying then it's not happening on Man's timescale.

Nothing to see here. Humans can never do anything bad, except limiting industry of course.

a reply to: Jamie1

Ice is black in Greenland because of forest fires in Canada

If you had read the article you would have seen that is mentioned among others.

The increase in darkness due to dirt or wildfire soot or smokestack pollution

No scientist are saying we are #ed, they are just showing us their findings, and telling us that we might start considering our actions a little better.

It isn't about instinction level, it's about major infrastructure problems in the future, it's a money problem, which in the end cause human problems.

It's about doing something right, instead of doing everything wrong.

I'm beginning to really hate global warming. The winters are so much colder than usual.

Dark snow worries me less than yellow snow.

originally posted by: Mianeye
a reply to: Jamie1

Ice is black in Greenland because of forest fires in Canada

If you had read the article you would have seen that is mentioned among others.

The increase in darkness due to dirt or wildfire soot or smokestack pollution

No scientist are saying we are #ed, they are just showing us their findings, and telling us that we might start considering our actions a little better.

It isn't about instinction level, it's about major infrastructure problems in the future, it's a money problem, which in the end cause human problems.

It's about doing something right, instead of doing everything wrong.

How can it be a money issue? Considering all the money all people on earth have SPENT to be able to "save" this planet for so many years? ( spent=taxes payed ).

originally posted by: Metallicus
Dark snow worries me less than yellow snow.

It's probably not a good idea to eat either one. Lol

a reply to: Thatthing

It's a future money issue to prepare the infrastructure, it's not about saving the planet.

Here is an example from my country.

The insurance companies have come out saying that people in high risk flooding areas will not be covered anymore, as flooding is happening to often compared to ten or twenty years ago.

Those high risk areas are expanding which means that people who never experienced floodings are now flooded but not covered by insurance as they now live in a high risk area.

When the insurance companies are complaining, you know something ain't right.

The infrastructure cannot cope with the amount of rain we get now a days, not because it's old or non functioning, but because it's not build to that amount of water, as it was not expected when build.

If it continue or get worse the whole system needs to be rebuild...... thats a money issue.

I saw a programe on bbc, it was called bang goes the theory. And they showed how much pollution was caused by deisel dust, the crap thats kicked out of the exhaust and makes ur noce white car black. They said it is linked to lung problems and some cancers as well, could be link to this??

originally posted by: lostbook

originally posted by: superman2012
I remember reading about this when the "greenhouse effect" was first being talked about. The holes in the ozone, black particles in the snow absorbing the heat, etc, etc. Not saying it isn't bad, but, back then, they made it seem like the world was going to end before 2000.

The world may just be sick; not dying. However, if the Earth is dying then it's not happening on Man's timescale.

There's also not enough evidence to say what is causing it. The weather swinging one way or the other might be a part of the natural cycle. Do I agree with polluting? No. Who does though? I just am not so ready to dismiss one thing for the other.

a reply to: Metallicus

originally posted by: stirling
Can this be tied to vulcanism in Iceland?
not sure of the prevailing winds but think icelands recent eruptions....

Not just Iceland, all around the world volcanoes are erupting, those particulates have to settle somewhere.

I'm very suspicious of this story first we have snow that won't melt and can burn now we are going to get black snow i smell a rat, this isn't natural it's not God's intentions this is man made

originally posted by: lostbook
Snow is getting darker? What? Well, according to this article that's exactly what's happening.

You misread the article. It says:

www.slate.com...

Every single site the team analyzed had snow that was darker than previous surveys showed for snow in Greenland.

That doesn't mean snow is getting darker, and the abstract of the research paper doesn't claim that it is, it basically said they made a bunch of measurements of snow albedo:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

One explanation for that result could be that Greenland snow has always been lighter compared to the other places they are measuring or at least as long as man has been polluting, making dust, or otherwise been disturbing the areas where the snow is darker, and wouldn't that make sense since Greenland has lower population density and less pollution sources to darken it?