Sea level rise is caused by three main factors: (1) Thermal expansion – as water warms, it expands. In the ocean, the only direction it can expand is upward, raising the sea level. (2) Melting of land-based ice sheets and glaciers raises the sea level when melt water flows into the ocean adding to its total volume. (3) Changes in the global water cycle can impact sea level as more (or less) of the water from the land or atmosphere enters the ocean.
Interestingly, sea level is not rising at the same rate everywhere around the world. Regional sea level changes affect different coasts in different ways... even along the same coastline!
It turns out that ocean dynamics, including ocean currents, also play a role in determining the extent of sea level rise's impact in distinct areas.
Sea level rise is caused by three main factors: (1) Thermal expansion – as water warms, it expands. In the ocean, the only direction it can expand is upward, raising the sea level. (2) Melting of land-based ice sheets and glaciers raises the sea level when melt water flows into the ocean adding to its total volume. (3) Changes in the global water cycle can impact sea level as more (or less) of the water from the land or atmosphere enters the ocean.
Interestingly, sea level is not rising at the same rate everywhere around the world. Regional sea level changes affect different coasts in different ways... even along the same coastline!
It turns out that ocean dynamics, including ocean currents, also play a role in determining the extent of sea level rise's impact in distinct areas.
Check out these recent results!
NASA Salinity | NASA Winds | ECCO | NASA PACE
