Climate Change: Sea Level Rise
Dec 21, 2015
Climate Change:Sea Level Rise
Climate ChangeWeather 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 temperaturesDrought (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 Coastal Wave
Buoy Measurements
Wave buoys monitor wave
height, direction, and period around
the Pacific Ocean
CO2 Buoy – South Shore Oahu
Photo courtesy of R. David Beales, UH Creative Services
TemperatureCarbon Dioxide
SalinityOxygen
ChlorophyllTurbidity
HIOOS Coastal Wave
Buoy Measurements
Sea Level Stations
Tide gauge stations all over the world continuously monitor water level
CO2 and Climate ChangeGreenhouse effect – makes
life on Earth possibleCO2 comes from natural
and man made sources:Natural: animal respiration,
volcanoesMan 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
Types of iceLand-based ice
(freshwater)Glaciers, icebergsIce sheets (Antarctica and
Greenland)Alpine (mountain) ice
Sea ice (seawater)Forms in the sea as water
freezesFloating in water
Glacier
Alpine Ice
Sea Ice
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 RisePrediction: Sea
level will rise 1 m (3.3 ft) in the next 100 years
Many areas in Hawaii are close to sea level
Data from UH Coastal Geology Group