Sea Levels and Global Warming
One of the most notable things about global warming is that the sea levels in all sorts of places around the world are increasing. From Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the country of Iceland it can be seen that global warming is beginning to make an impact in places near large bodies of water. The link between sea levels and global warming is something that is very sobering.
First, it should be noted as to how global warming causes the sea levels around the world to change. The levels of land precipitation have been growing over the past few years. It is estimated that land precipitation levels have increased by about two percent over the last century. In some northern latitudes precipitation levels have increased by about one percent every decade.
This increase in precipitation is from the most common of the greenhouse gases, water vapor. When atmospheric temperatures increase more water is going to be evaporated from the ground, thus creating water vapor. When more vapor is taken more clouds will be produced and will be more likely to produce higher levels of rain.
The polar ice caps also make a major impact on ocean depth levels. Mountain glaciers and ice caps will be melted as a result of the warmer atmosphere. This prompts the waters that had melted to move into the oceans. Over time the oceans depth levels will increase as a result.
The ocean depth levels are being impacted by these parts of global warming. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency the sea level rose by about six inches in the Mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the country. As a result places that are next to these bodies of water, including larger cities like Miami, New Orleans, Myrtle Beach and the Tidewater region are being significantly impacted.
Many places have been forced to either build upward or away from the bodies of water as a result. The Outer Banks of North Carolina has been one of the most notable examples. While many homes on the Banks are built on wooden supports they are still at risk and are forced to build inwards.
The levels of change that will take place in the future vary according to the source of the report but the numbers are especially dire. In studies involving projections of ocean depth levels from now until 2100 some have predicted that ocean depth levels will increase by a meter. Some say it will be as low as one tenth of a meter. However, those are numbers that are especially serious no matter what the projections are.
As it can be seen here sea levels and global warming are well linked. Because of the greenhouse gases and the melting of the ice caps around the world sea levels will increase over time. With this it will be very dangerous in that places that are near large bodies or water will be susceptible to global warming.
