| Rise of the Sea Level |
| Is the sea level rising too fast? Why is the sea level rising? These are the questions that I have always wondered about. I hear so many different versions that I decided to search the web for my answers. Scientists have two ways to check the sea level. One method is with a tide gauge. The gauge is placed on a pier and checked annually. The gauge is moved periodically to make sure that the pier has not settled. The second method is the Post Glacial Rebound (PGR). The PGR is placed all over the world and not just where there are glaciers. The PGR in Baltimore, Maryland shows that the sea level has risen about 3.5 mm per year for the last 100 years. But in Chesapeake Bay, the sea level has risen about 17 mm per year due to the last deglaciation. In Stockham, Sweden the sea level has declined 4 mm per year for the last 100 years. The decline is a result of land appearances. The land emerging are from the ice melting during the last deglaciation about 18,000 years ago. My research shows that in most areas the sea levels rise approximately 3 to 4 mm per year. The sea level is only 100 meters higher than it was 18,000 years ago. The rise of the sea level is partly due to global warming. Global warming causes expansions and change in circulation of the sea. The changes combined with small glaciers melting causes the sea level to rise about 1 mm per year. |
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