Consider the continent of Greenland,which is located at high latitudes and is covered to a depth of thousands of feet by glaciers.Given these facts,which of the following is true regarding its energy budget?
A)the + SW↓ (insolation)term is large.
B)the - SW↑ (albedo)term is large.
C)the - LW↑ (outgoing longwave infrared energy)term is small.
D)the - LW↑ and +LW (outgoing and incoming infrared energy)are equal.
E)the + SW↓ (insolation)term is small.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Greenland's high albedo (the reflectivity of its surface) due to the vast amounts of ice and snow covering the continent means that a large portion of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space, resulting in a significant negative shortwave radiation balance (SW↑). The other options presented are not necessarily true for Greenland's energy budget.

Consider the Continent of Greenland,which Is Located at High Latitudes