Most of the Arctic is covered in snow and ice, which are highly reflective; if snow and ice melt, the exposed soil, which absorbs heat, serves to accelerate warming.

北极大部分地区被冰雪覆盖，具有很强的反射性；如果冰雪融化，裸露的土壤吸收热量，有助于加速变暖。

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Then, when snow or rain wash them onto an ice floe, they darken its surface and thus cause it to melt faster.

随后，雪或雨水将他们冲刷到冰面上，冰的表面会变黑，因而融化的也更快。

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The new study focused on surface melt, runoff and the number of days when bare ice, free of snow, is exposed to the Sun's radiative force.

这项新研究的重点是表面融化，径流以及暴露于太阳辐射下的裸冰和无雪天数。

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But the snow does melt. Ice cold water travels down the mountains and forms several rivers -- the Gila River,the Green River, the Little Colorado,the San Juan, the Virgin and the Gunnison Rivers.

VOA: special.2010.10.27

This phenomenon, called Arctic amplification, occurs as highly reflective Arctic ice and snow melt away, allowing dark land and exposed ocean to absorb more sunlight.

CNN: Warmest Arctic temperatures for 2,000 years, says new study

The Flood Protection Association said compacted snow and ice would melt more slowly than snow on the ground.

BBC: Snowman

The flow in the Mekong comes mainly from rainfall and some snow melt, not melting ice.

ECONOMIST: Letters