Study on the Rate of Sea-Level Rise (2014)

A new study paper out in nature (Nature Climate Change / 2014 / […]

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Climate State

Date Posted:

March 24, 2014

A new study paper out in nature (Nature Climate Change / 2014 / doi:10.1038/nclimate2159), explores why the rise of sea-level has slowed in the last decade. Unsurprisingly the slow-down coincidences with the observed climate hiatus (IPCC AR5, Ocean heat content uptake). Because  heat is distributed differently, depending on the state of ENSO (between El Nino or La Nina).

a, GMSL trends computed over two time spans (January 1994–December 2002 and January 2003–December 2011) using satellite altimetry data from five processing groups (see Methods for data sources).
a, GMSL trends computed over two time spans (January 1994–December 2002 and January 2003–December 2011) using satellite altimetry data from five processing groups (see Methods for data sources).

Abstract: Present-day sea-level rise is a major indicator of climate change1. Since the early 1990s, sea level rose at a mean rate of ~3.1 mm yr−1 (refs 23). However, over the last decade a slowdown of this rate, of about 30%, has been recorded45678. It coincides with a plateau in Earth’s mean surface temperature evolution, known as the recent pause in warming19101112. Here we present an analysis based on sea-level data from the altimetry record of the past ~20 years that separates interannual natural variability in sea level from the longer-term change probably related to anthropogenic global warming. The most prominent signature in the global mean sea level interannual variability is caused by El Niño–Southern Oscillation, through its impact on the global water cycle13141516. We find that when correcting for interannual variability, the past decade’s slowdown of the global mean sea level disappears, leading to a similar rate of sea-level rise (of 3.3 ± 0.4 mm yr−1) during the first and second decade of the altimetry era. Our results confirm the need for quantifying and further removing from the climate records the short-term natural climate variability if one wants to extract the global warming signal10.

However, last year a study hinted at significant future sea-level rise – In Ancient Ice, Clues That Scientists Are Underestimating Future Sea Levels

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