Rising Sea Levels

Roland Gehrels

doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-63524-2.00016-6

Rising Sea Levels

Roland Gehrels^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

This chapter poses three questions related to sea level rise. The first question is whether sea level IS actually rising. Although the answer depends on one's spatial and temporal perspective, tide-gauge and satellite observations show that sea level has risen at a rate of about 3.2mma^-1 since the 1990s when averaged around the globe. The second question pertains to the causes of recent sea level rise. Contributions from the 1990s derive from thermal expansion of ocean water (∼45%), melting of small glaciers and ice caps (∼35%), and melting of Greenland (∼10%) and Antarctica (∼10%), but relative contributions vary with time. Humans have contributed to sea level rise for over a century. In the absence of anthropogenic climate forcing, sea level would have risen ∼0.1m less than observed in the twentieth century. The third question is whether contemporary sea level rise is unusual. Once more, the answer depends on one's timeframe. In the context of the last 5000years, current rates of sea level rise are probably unprecedented.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Climate Change
Subtitle of host publication	Observed Impacts on Planet Earth: Second Edition
Publisher	Elsevier
Pages	241-252
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Print)	9780444635242
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63524-2.00016-6
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2015

Keywords

Antarctica
Anthropogenic forcing
Glaciers
Greenland
Interglacial
IPCC
Satellite altimetry
Thermal expansion
Tide gauge

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10.1016/B978-0-444-63524-2.00016-6

Cite this

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N2 - This chapter poses three questions related to sea level rise. The first question is whether sea level IS actually rising. Although the answer depends on one's spatial and temporal perspective, tide-gauge and satellite observations show that sea level has risen at a rate of about 3.2mma-1 since the 1990s when averaged around the globe. The second question pertains to the causes of recent sea level rise. Contributions from the 1990s derive from thermal expansion of ocean water (∼45%), melting of small glaciers and ice caps (∼35%), and melting of Greenland (∼10%) and Antarctica (∼10%), but relative contributions vary with time. Humans have contributed to sea level rise for over a century. In the absence of anthropogenic climate forcing, sea level would have risen ∼0.1m less than observed in the twentieth century. The third question is whether contemporary sea level rise is unusual. Once more, the answer depends on one's timeframe. In the context of the last 5000years, current rates of sea level rise are probably unprecedented.

AB - This chapter poses three questions related to sea level rise. The first question is whether sea level IS actually rising. Although the answer depends on one's spatial and temporal perspective, tide-gauge and satellite observations show that sea level has risen at a rate of about 3.2mma-1 since the 1990s when averaged around the globe. The second question pertains to the causes of recent sea level rise. Contributions from the 1990s derive from thermal expansion of ocean water (∼45%), melting of small glaciers and ice caps (∼35%), and melting of Greenland (∼10%) and Antarctica (∼10%), but relative contributions vary with time. Humans have contributed to sea level rise for over a century. In the absence of anthropogenic climate forcing, sea level would have risen ∼0.1m less than observed in the twentieth century. The third question is whether contemporary sea level rise is unusual. Once more, the answer depends on one's timeframe. In the context of the last 5000years, current rates of sea level rise are probably unprecedented.

KW - Antarctica

KW - Anthropogenic forcing

KW - Glaciers

KW - Greenland

KW - Interglacial

KW - IPCC

KW - Satellite altimetry

KW - Thermal expansion

KW - Tide gauge

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BT - Climate Change

PB - Elsevier

ER -

Rising Sea Levels

Abstract

Keywords

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