State of the steric sea level rise, 1955-2003

February 17, 2009

NOAA Science at AAAS

Based on a detailed analysis of ocean vertical temperature profiles for the 1955-2008 period, Sydney Levitus, lead author, talks about the change of global average sea level induced by the observed warming of the world ocean during the past 53 years. The warming of the world ocean is consistent with the amount of warming expected as a result of the observed increase in greenhouse gases in earth's atmosphere.

The observed ocean warming has contributed approximately 20 mm to global average sea level during this time period. This is simply the phenomenon of salt water expanding when it is warmed. This expansion effect (or contraction if cooling occurs) is known as the "thermosteric component of sea level change."

This estimate is similar to previous estimates even after recently identified instrumentals errors are corrected for and additional historical data has been added to the scientists' database. The thermosteric component of sea level change is only one of several phenomena affecting sea level. Others include the melting of glaciers, the transfer of liquid water between the continents and oceans, and the impoundment of water by dams.

Levitus will also describe the changes in global sea level, resulting from changes in the distribution of temperature and freshwater in the world ocean during the same 1955 - 2008 time scale.

NOAA Headquarters

---

---

	Sea Level by Lions Gate (Publisher) Pup, a bamboo shark, discovers egg sacs while playing around the ocean with his friends. When he sees human poachers stealing the eggs from his reef, Pup makes it his mission to save his family. As he leaves the sea and enters the beautiful, yet dangerous, world of humans he'll prove he isn't too small to save his family. Languages: English Subtitles: English & Spanish Special Features: - Behind the Scenes - Sculpture Design - Concept Art - Trailer Gallery
	Sea Level by Nancy Kilgore (Author) Brigid Peterson is the new minister in the remote seaside town of Sand Hill.  The year is 1980 and her parishioners are wary and even hostile to a woman in the pulpit.  She finds a kindred spirit in her new friend Mary Bradley, an artist who believes in the goddess.  But Mary has fallen hopelessly in love with a local drifter, and Brigid's marriage is beginning to crumble, and when Brigid preaches about the female side of God, the whole town divides over her.  Both women have to dive deeper into their spiritual life to find the way through. Sea Level is a story about ordinary small town life, the mystical landscape of the Delmarva Peninsula, and the passions that erupt over conflicts of belief.
	Sea Level: Adventures of a Saltwater Angler by Jeffrey Cardenas (Author) Sea Level, by Jeffrey Cardenas, author of the acclaimed Marquesa, is a collection of vivid essays on saltwater fly fishing written over the past twenty years. This book is a pure delight--so filled with fresh original language that it forms a unique portrait of an artist, a writer, and an expert angler and naturalist. And it is the author's quiet, observant and steady hand that guides us on a wide range of adventures: from the Gulf Coast to Cuba; from the Florida Keys and Bahamas to the North Atlantic. Sea Level exudes the highest level of angling skill and will be required reading for years to come.
	Sea Level by Sea Level (Author) Track: 1. Rain In Spain 6:47 2. Shake A Leg 3:53 3. Tidal Wave 5:40 4. Country Fool 3:40 5. Nothing Matters But The Fever 7:20 6. Grand Larceny 5:23 7. Scarborough Fair 5:31 8. Just A Good Feeling 3:01
	Ocean Creatures Library (A Set of 5 "I Love Reading" Level 2 Readers) The Ocean Creatures Library brings together 5 popular level 2 books from the "I Love Reading" series. Young readers will learn about the starfish, seahorse, octopus, jellyfish and shark. Bright, colorful photography and bold text will keep young readers engaged. Information presented includes facts about how each animal eats, moves, and survives. By bestselling children's author Cindy Bracken.
	DK Readers: Pirates: Raiders of the High Seas (Level 4: Proficient Readers) by Christopher Maynard (Author), Harriet Griffey (Author), Harriet Griffey (Contributor) Meet Pirates who got away with murder... and pirates who died in the hangman's noose! These 48-page books about fascinating subjects like pirates, mummies, and volcanoes are for proficient readers who can understand a rich vocabulary and challenging sentence structure. In addition to the stunning photographs, informative sidebars, and glossary, readers will find archival photographs and paintings. Averaging 4,500 to 5,000 words in length, Level 4 books are 40 percent pictures and 40 percent text. The Dorling Kindersley Readers combine an enticing visual layout with high-interest, easy-to-read stories to captivate and delight young bookworms who are just getting started. Written by leading children's authors and compiled in consultation with literacy experts, these engaging books build...
	DK Readers: Disasters at Sea (Level 3: Reading Alone) by Andrew Donkin (Author) From fog, ice, and rocks to cannon fire and torpedo attacks--read the story of five doomed sea voyages and the fate of those who took part in them. The 48-page Level 3 books, designed for children who can read on their own, contain more complex sentence structure and more detail. Young readers will devour these kid-friendly titles, which cover high-interest topics such as sharks, and the Bermuda Triangle, as well as classics like Aladdin. Information boxes highlight historical references, trivia, pronunciation, and other facts about words and names mentioned. Averaging 2,400 to 2,800 words, these books offer a 50/50 picture-to-text ratio. The Dorling Kindersley Readers combine an enticing visual layout with high-interest, easy-to-read stories to captivate and delight young bookworms who...
	Under the Sea (Beginners Nature: Level 1) by Fiona Patchett (Author), Tetsuo Kushii (Illustrator), Zoe Wray (Illustrator) What lives at the bottom of the sea? What does a shark really eat? How does a sea horse swim? In this book you'll find the answers and lots more about the fascinating things which live under the sea. Under the Sea is part of an exciting series of books for children who are beginning to read on their own. The easy-to-read text has been specially written with the help of a reading expert.
	The Sedimentary Record of Sea-Level Change by Angela L. Coe (Author), Dan W. J. Bosence (Author), Kevin D. Church (Author), Stephen S. Flint (Author), John A. Howell (Author), R. Chris L. Wilson (Author) This illustrated textbook describes how past changes in sea-level can be detected through an analysis of the sedimentary record, and how sequence stratigraphy techniques can provide explanations of how the sedimentary system evolves through geological time. Designed for use in undergraduate and graduate courses, it includes detailed case studies, set-aside focus boxes, and bulleted Questions and Answers interspersed throughout. The book is also supported by a website hosting sample pages.
	Dive! A Book Of Deep Sea Creatures (level 3) (Hello Reader, Science) by Mel Berger (Author)