Here’s a breakdown of the key information from the provided text:
Main Finding:
* The Northern Hemisphere is absorbing more sunlight and darkening faster than the Southern Hemisphere. Specifically, it’s absorbing about 0.34 watts more solar energy per square meter per decade. While seemingly small, this difference is meaningful on a global scale.
Implications:
* This shift in energy absorption could alter weather patterns, rainfall, and the planet’s overall climate in the coming decades.
How the Study was Conducted:
* Researchers analyzed data from NASA’s Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) satellites, which have been recording sunlight absorption and reflection since 2000.
* they examined Earth’s energy balance – the difference between energy absorbed and energy released – between 2001 and 2024.
* A technique called partial radiative perturbation (PRP) analysis was used to isolate the factors contributing to the imbalance.
Causes of the Imbalance:
* Melting snow and ice
* Declining air pollution
* Changes in cloud cover (the text ends mid-sentence, so the third factor is incomplete)
Expert Quote:
* Zhangqing Li, a climate scientist at the university of Maryland, explains that all objects in the universe maintain equilibrium by receiving and giving off energy. The Earth does this through the exchange of energy between the Sun and emitted longwave radiation.
