Synopsis
NASA's recent analysis has uncovered a surprising acceleration in global sea levels for 2024, citing thermal expansion of seawater as a key contributor. The findings indicate a significant shift in the factors driving sea level rise, emphasizing the implications of ongoing climate change.Key Takeaways
- Global sea levels increased by 0.59 cm/year
- Thermal expansion contributed two-thirds of the rise
- 2024 is on track to be the warmest year recorded
- 10 cm rise since 1993
- Sentinel-6 satellites monitor ocean height
New York, March 14 (NationPress) Global sea levels have experienced a faster-than-expected increase in 2024, primarily driven by the expansion of ocean water as temperatures rise, as reported by NASA on Thursday.
A comprehensive analysis spearheaded by NASA revealed that the sea level rise rate for the previous year stood at 0.59 centimeters per year, surpassing the anticipated 0.43 centimeters per year, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Josh Willis, a sea level researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, stated, “Every year is a little bit different, but what's clear is that the ocean continues to rise, and the rate of rise is getting faster and faster.”
The unforeseen rise was linked to an unusual degree of ocean warming, coupled with meltwater from land-based ice sources, such as glaciers, as explained by NASA.
In recent times, roughly two-thirds of the sea level rise has stemmed from melting ice sheets and glaciers, while the final third was due to the thermal expansion of seawater.
However, in 2024, these factors shifted, with two-thirds of the rise attributed to thermal expansion, as per NASA's findings.
“With 2024 being the warmest year on record, the Earth’s expanding oceans are following suit, reaching their highest levels in three decades,” commented Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, head of physical oceanography programmes at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Since the launch of satellite records monitoring ocean height in 1993, the annual rate of sea level rise has more than doubled. Overall, global sea levels have increased by 10 centimeters since 1993, according to NASA.
This long-term record relies on observations from ocean-observing satellites that started with TOPEX/Poseidon in 1992.
The current satellite in this series, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, was launched in 2020 and is one of a twin pair of spacecraft that will continue to provide this vital sea level data into its fourth decade.
The twin satellite, Sentinel-6B, will also measure sea surface height with precision down to a few centimeters for about 90 percent of the world’s oceans.
