| Abstract: | Many researchers assume a proportional relationship among the atmospheric CO2 concentration, temperature, and sea level. Thus, the rate of sea-level rise should increase in concert with the documented exponential increase in CO2. Although sea surface temperature has increased in places over the past century and short-term sea level rose abruptly during the 1990s, it is difficult to demonstrate a proportional relationship using existing geologic or historic records. Tide gauge records in the United States cover too short a time interval to verify acceleration in the rate of sea-level rise, although multicentury tide gauge and staff records from the Netherlands and Sweden suggest a mid-19th-century acceleration in sea-level rise. Reconstructions of sea-level changes for the past 1000 years derived using benthic foraminifer data from salt marshes along the East Coast of the United States suggest an increased rate of relative sea-level rise beginning in the 1600s. Geologic records of relative sea-level rise for the past 6000 years are available for several sites along the US East Coast from 14C-dated basal peat below salt marshes and estuarine sediments. When these three scales of sea-level variation are integrated, adjusted for postglacial isostatic movement, and replotted, the range of variation in sea level suggested by basal peat ages is within ??1 meter of the long-term trend. The reconstruction from Long Island Sound data shows a linear rise in sea level beginning in the mid-1600s at a rate consistent with the historic record of mean high water. Long-term tide gauge records from Europe and North America show similar trends since the mid-19th century. There is no clear proportional exponential increase in the rate of sea-level rise. If proportionality exists among sea level, atmospheric CO2, and temperature, there may be a significant time lag before an anthropogenic increase in the rate of sea-level rise occurs. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70028069 |
| Citation Author: | Larsen, C. E.; Clark, I. |
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| Citation End Page: | 800 |
| Citation Issue: | 4 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Journal of Coastal Research |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 13 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | A search for scale in sea-level studies; 2006; Article; Journal; Journal of Coastal Research; Larsen, C. E.; Clark, I. |
| Citation Start Page: | 788 |
| Citation Volume: | 22 |
| Citation Year: | 2006 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | A search for scale in sea-level studies; 2006; Article; Journal; Journal of Coastal Research; Larsen, C. E.; Clark, I. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.2112/03-0123.1 |
| Date Other: | Sun, 1 Jan 2006 00:00 -0600 |
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