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While sea ice is mostly white and reflects the sun's rays, ocean water is dark and absorbs the sun's energy at a higher rate. A decline in the region's albedo - its reflectivity, in effect - has been a key concern among scientists since the summer Arctic sea ice cover began shrinking in recent decades. As more of the sun's energy is absorbed by the climate system, it enhances ongoing warming in the region, which is more pronounced than anywhere else on the planet. [Source: NASA News]
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