Scientists' Explanation for Exploration 4
A Comparison of Polar and Tropical Regions
The main reason that polar regions are warming more quickly than tropical regions has to do with the reflectivity of the bright ice. Ice has a higher albedo and therefore a higher percentage of solar radiation is reflected back toward space. However, as snow and ice melt, the darker surfaces of the ground or oceans have a lower albedo and more solar radiation is absorbed, which amplifies warming.