Article
Article
Sea-level rise
Article By:
Fasullo, John T. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado.
Last reviewed:March 2018
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.609550
A rise in global mean sea level (GMSL) caused by an increase in ocean mass and temperature. Global mean sea level, the average height of the ocean surface relative to Earth’s surface, is a fundamental indicator of climate change and has considerable relevance for both socioeconomic and ecological systems (Fig. 1). Its variations are significant in that they reflect both the amount of heat being added to the oceans and the integrated water loss by ice sheets, glaciers, and other land regions. See also: Glaciology; Global climate change; Ocean warming
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