Research news on sea-level change

Sea-level change refers to temporal variations in the height of the global or regional ocean surface relative to a reference datum, driven by combined effects of eustatic, isostatic, and steric processes. Eustatic change primarily arises from alterations in ocean mass, notably through glacial–interglacial ice-sheet dynamics and contemporary land ice melt. Isostatic and tectonic processes modify the vertical position of the solid Earth, producing relative sea-level change at specific locations. Steric contributions reflect temperature- and salinity-driven density changes that alter ocean volume. Quantifying sea-level change integrates tide-gauge records, satellite altimetry, gravimetry, and glacial isostatic adjustment models for reconstructing past variability and constraining projections.

Rising seas make once-rare coastal floods 12 times more likely

Extreme floods that once swamped coastal communities only rarely are becoming far more common as climate change caused by humans pushes sea levels higher, according to new research published Wednesday. Experts say the findings ...

World's oceans break June heat record: EU monitor

The world's oceans just experienced their hottest June on record and could set fresh highs in the months ahead as El Nino and climate change drive temperatures even higher, scientists said Wednesday.

El Niño is underway, satellite observations show

El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific, made its return in June 2026. Observations of sea surface height from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite that month ...

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