The Arctic has been absorbing significantly more sunlight since the year 2000, according to NASA satellite data, a trend that mirrors the steady decrease in Arctic sea ice during that same period.

 

These maps show changes in the amount of solar radiation absorbed over the Arctic from 2000 to 2014, as well as changes in sea ice cover during the same period. As sea ice cover declines and more dark ocean is exposed to the sun's rays, that decreases the reflectivity, or albedo, of the ocean's surface, meaning more heat is absorbed.

 

Shades of red depict areas absorbing more sunlight and areas with less ice cover. The Arctic's rate of absorption has increased by 5 percent every June, July, and August since 2000. No other region on the planet has shown significant changes in albedo during that time, researchers say.

 

When averaged over the entire Arctic Ocean, the increase is roughly the equivalent of an extra 10-watt light bulb shining continuously over every 11 square feet of Arctic Ocean for the entire summer, researchers say.

 

 

These maps show the net change in solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere over the Arctic from 2000 to 2014, as well as the net change in sea ice cover over the same period. Shades of red depict areas absorbing more sunlight (left map) and areas with less ice cover (right map). (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory).