Marine Science Faculty Publications
An Anomalous Recent Acceleration of Global Sea Level Rise
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Keywords
Sea level, Anomalies
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI2985.1
Abstract
Tide gauge data are used to estimate trends in global sea level for the period from 1955 to 2007. Linear trends over 15-yr segments are computed for each tide gauge record, averaged over latitude bands, and combined to form an area-weighted global mean trend. The uncertainty of the global trend is specified as a sampling error plus a random vertical land motion component, but land motion corrections do not change the results. The average global sea level trend for the time segments centered on 1962–90 is 1.5 ± 0.5 mm yr−1 (standard error), in agreement with previous estimates of late twentieth-century sea level rise. After 1990, the global trend increases to the most recent rate of 3.2 ± 0.4 mm yr−1, matching estimates obtained from satellite altimetry. The acceleration is distinct from decadal variations in global sea level that have been reported in previous studies. Increased rates in the tropical and southern oceans primarily account for the acceleration. The timing of the global acceleration corresponds to similar sea level trend changes associated with upper ocean heat content and ice melt.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Journal of Climate, v. 22, issue 21, p. 5772-5781
Scholar Commons Citation
Merrifield, M. A.; Merrifield, S. T.; and Mitchum, G. T., "An Anomalous Recent Acceleration of Global Sea Level Rise" (2009). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 2104.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/2104
