Untilled Fields Bring Mercury Down

Introduction

Fields THATare left untilled after a harvest reflect a greater amount of sunlight than tilled fields. Tilling brings up the dark-coloured soil from below which absorbs more solar radiation, but an unploughed field is light coloured. While ploughed fields reflect 20 per cent of the sunlight, unploughed fields reflect 30 per cent. The phenomenon can reduce local temperatures by as much as two degrees during heat waves.

Source

Down to Earth July, 2014