What's Happening in the Bathtub?: What's Happening in the Bathtub?: An Overview of Present-Day Sea Level An Overview of Present-Day Sea Level
ChangeChange
R. Steven NeremUniversity of Colorado
Department of Aerospace Engineering SciencesColorado Center for Astrodynamics Research
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
10
20
0
TOPEX/Poseidon
Jason-1 & 2
Satellite AltimetrySatellite Altimetry
Trend = 3.4 mm/year
http://sealevel.colorado.edu
Detrended GMSL and MEIDetrended GMSL and MEI
Spatial Variations in Sea Level Rise 1993-Spatial Variations in Sea Level Rise 1993-20092009
GRACEGRACEGravity Recovery and Climate Gravity Recovery and Climate
ExperimentExperiment
GRACE Global Ocean Mass VariationsGRACE Global Ocean Mass Variations
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Year
= 1.2 /Rate mm year
Rate of mass change:
All Greenland: -235 Gton/yr
South Greenland: -169 Gton/yr
North Greenland: -65 Gton/yr
Total Greenland ice volumeRate of mass change during April, 2002 – February, 2009
-235 Gton/yr = 0.65 mm/yr sea level rise
Greenland Mass Change from GRACEGreenland Mass Change from GRACE
[Wahr, 2009]
362 Gt/yr = 362 km3/year water
= 1 mm/yr sea level rise
Greenland Mass Change from GRACEGreenland Mass Change from GRACE
[Wahr, 2009]
Rate of mass change after removing ICE5G rebound model:
All Antarctica: -169 Gton/yr
West Antarctica: -128 Gton/yr
East Antarctica: -36 Gton/yr
Uncertainty of post-glacial rebound correction:
All Antarctica: ± 75 km3/yr
West Antarctica: ± 20 km3/yr
East Antarctica: ± 50 km3/yr
-169 Gton/yr = 0.47 mm/yr sea level rise
Total Antarctic ice volume.
April, 2002 – February, 2009
Amundsen Sea glaciers
[Wahr, 2009]
Antarctica Mass Change from GRACEAntarctica Mass Change from GRACE
