Biological darkening of the glacier surface by purple ice algae
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Biological darkening of the glacier surface by purple ice algae

by Christoph Keuschnig, GFZ Potsdam

Purple coloured ice algae bloom in arctic summers on glacier surfaces which causes a severe darkening of the glacier surface. As a consequence the albedo of the surface is reduced which is contrubuting to accelerated melt rates of glaciers observed worldwide.