Climate change is causing sea levels to rise through thermal expansion of ocean waters and melting of land ice sheets and glaciers. This threatens coastal areas with more frequent flooding, contamination of drinking water supplies, and increased erosion. While tides and weather influence short term sea level fluctuations, long term rise is driven by climate change warming of oceans and melting of ice sheets in Greenland, Antarctica, and mountain glaciers. Predictions indicate sea level could rise up to 1 meter in the next century, endangering many low-lying areas in Hawaii.
Climate change is causing sea levels to rise through thermal expansion of ocean waters and melting of land ice sheets and glaciers. This threatens coastal areas with more frequent flooding, contamination of drinking water supplies, and increased erosion. While tides and weather influence short term sea level fluctuations, long term rise is driven by climate change warming of oceans and melting of ice sheets in Greenland, Antarctica, and mountain glaciers. Predictions indicate sea level could rise up to 1 meter in the next century, endangering many low-lying areas in Hawaii.
Climate change is causing sea levels to rise through thermal expansion of ocean waters and melting of land ice sheets and glaciers. This threatens coastal areas with more frequent flooding, contamination of drinking water supplies, and increased erosion. While tides and weather influence short term sea level fluctuations, long term rise is driven by climate change warming of oceans and melting of ice sheets in Greenland, Antarctica, and mountain glaciers. Predictions indicate sea level could rise up to 1 meter in the next century, endangering many low-lying areas in Hawaii.
Climate change is causing sea levels to rise through thermal expansion of ocean waters and melting of land ice sheets and glaciers. This threatens coastal areas with more frequent flooding, contamination of drinking water supplies, and increased erosion. While tides and weather influence short term sea level fluctuations, long term rise is driven by climate change warming of oceans and melting of ice sheets in Greenland, Antarctica, and mountain glaciers. Predictions indicate sea level could rise up to 1 meter in the next century, endangering many low-lying areas in Hawaii.
Climate Change Weather vs. Climate Weather: day to day changes in temperature, rainfall, cloudiness, moisture Climate: long term changes in weather patterns on our planet Effects of climate change: Sea level rise (today’s activity) Warmer sea surface temperatures Drought (water shortage), flooding Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System Divers work on sensors at the Kilo Nalu Reef Observatory which monitor water quality and temperature HIOOS Wave buoys monitor wave Coastal Wave height,Buoy direction, and period around Measurements the Pacific Ocean CO2 Buoy – South Shore Oahu
Temperature Carbon Dioxide Salinity Oxygen Chlorophyll Turbidity Photo courtesy of R. David Beales, UH Creative Services HIOOS Sea Level Stations Coastal Wave Buoy Tide gauge stations all over the world Measurements continuously monitor water level CO2 and Climate Change Greenhouse effect – makes life on Earth possible CO2 comes from natural and man made sources: Natural: animal respiration, volcanoes Man made: burning fossil fuels (cars, planes, electricity), deforestation (cutting/burning trees) Too much CO2 causes too much warming What affects sea level on short time scales? • Tides
• Weather • storms, hurricanes, waves
• El Nino • can lower or raise sea level depending on location What causes global sea level rise? Climate Change
Increasing temperatures cause melting ice in
alpine glaciers, Greenland, and Antarctica
Warming causes thermal expansion of ocean
water – like air and other fluids, water expands as the temperature increases Glacier
Types of ice Land-based ice (freshwater) Glaciers, icebergs Ice sheets (Antarctica and Alpine Ice
Greenland) Alpine (mountain) ice
Sea ice (seawater) Sea Ice
Forms in the sea as water freezes Floating in water
Photo credit: NSIDC
What are the effects of sea level rise? Coastal flooding
Contaminating drinking water with seawater
Increases impact of storms
Increases risk of coastal
erosion Future Sea Level Rise Prediction: Sea level will rise 1 m (3.3 ft) in the next 100 years
