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Sea Level Change

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Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definitions

Mean sea level (MSL). An oceanographic term, referring to sea surface level, possibly averaged over an area or a period of time, but with short-period variations such as waves filtered out.

Monthly mean sea level. Average sea surface level, usually at a single location, preferably taken over an integer number of tidal cycles, averaged over a period of about one calendar month.

Global mean sea level. Average sea level, averaged over all sea areas.

Sea level change. Referring to the long-term trend in mean sea level, which may be calculated from a single location or across a region. One can distinguish between absolute sea level change and relative (to the local land level) sea level change.

Projection. Extrapolation to what would happen under given starting conditions, for given changes and given physical assumptions. Climate change projections are often expressed relative to a particular time period, presently usually 1961–1990.

Introduction

The sea surface is constantly...

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Correspondence to Peter J. Hawkes .

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Hawkes, P.J. (2013). Sea Level Change. In: Bobrowsky, P.T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4399-4_309

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