Re: [Phys-L] Sea Level Trends

[brian whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

On 5/21/2013 2:08 PM, David Marx wrote:
> John Denker mentioned that sea levels are rising (and perhaps, accelerating).
>
> I looked up the data at
>
> http://www.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/
>
> where you can find the monthly averaged data for 128 long-term (minimum 30 years) stations in the
> Water Level Observation Network.
>
> It apears that for most middle latitude stations, the trend is 0 to 1 foot / century. The second most
> common rate seems to be 1 to 2 feet / century. What is most curious is the trend at higher latitudes
> (including Southern Alaska and Northern Europe), where sea levels have a negative trend of -3 to -5
> feet / century.
>
> David Marx
It is salutary to learn that mean sea level surface is not only not a 
oblate spheroid, but in fact
is as subject (more subject?) to isostacy. When Antarctic ice melts down 
into the Ocean, the ocean surface  thereabouts is expected to FALL, 
while Greenland glacier meltoffs are expected to depress sea surfaces in 
some parts south of the equator. Yet another example where common sense 
fails.....

Brian Whatcott
Altus OK