Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington

Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309255945

Tide gauges show that global sea level has risen about 7 inches during the 20th century, and recent satellite data show that the rate of sea-level rise is accelerating. As Earth warms, sea levels are rising mainly because ocean water expands as it warms; and water from melting glaciers and ice sheets is flowing into the ocean. Sea-level rise poses enormous risks to the valuable infrastructure, development, and wetlands that line much of the 1,600 mile shoreline of California, Oregon, and Washington. As those states seek to incorporate projections of sea-level rise into coastal planning, they asked the National Research Council to make independent projections of sea-level rise along their coasts for the years 2030, 2050, and 2100, taking into account regional factors that affect sea level. Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington: Past, Present, and Future explains that sea level along the U.S. west coast is affected by a number of factors. These include: climate patterns such as the El Niño, effects from the melting of modern and ancient ice sheets, and geologic processes, such as plate tectonics. Regional projections for California, Oregon, and Washington show a sharp distinction at Cape Mendocino in northern California. South of that point, sea-level rise is expected to be very close to global projections. However, projections are lower north of Cape Mendocino because the land is being pushed upward as the ocean plate moves under the continental plate along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. However, an earthquake magnitude 8 or larger, which occurs in the region every few hundred to 1,000 years, would cause the land to drop and sea level to suddenly rise.

Advancing the Science of Climate Change

Advancing the Science of Climate Change
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 526
Release: 2011-01-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309145880

Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for-and in many cases is already affecting-a broad range of human and natural systems. The compelling case for these conclusions is provided in Advancing the Science of Climate Change, part of a congressionally requested suite of studies known as America's Climate Choices. While noting that there is always more to learn and that the scientific process is never closed, the book shows that hypotheses about climate change are supported by multiple lines of evidence and have stood firm in the face of serious debate and careful evaluation of alternative explanations. As decision makers respond to these risks, the nation's scientific enterprise can contribute through research that improves understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change and also is useful to decision makers at the local, regional, national, and international levels. The book identifies decisions being made in 12 sectors, ranging from agriculture to transportation, to identify decisions being made in response to climate change. Advancing the Science of Climate Change calls for a single federal entity or program to coordinate a national, multidisciplinary research effort aimed at improving both understanding and responses to climate change. Seven cross-cutting research themes are identified to support this scientific enterprise. In addition, leaders of federal climate research should redouble efforts to deploy a comprehensive climate observing system, improve climate models and other analytical tools, invest in human capital, and improve linkages between research and decisions by forming partnerships with action-oriented programs.

Sea Level Rise in Florida

Sea Level Rise in Florida
Author: Albert C. Hine
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016
Genre: Coast changes
ISBN: 9780813062891

This volume proposes to provide a concise, simple, well-illustrated book that explains past sea rise events, what scientists know about the present and future sea level rise, the consequences of rise, and how Floridians might prepare.

The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate

The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 755
Release: 2022-04-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781009157971

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of human-induced climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. This IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the observed and projected changes to the ocean and cryosphere and their associated impacts and risks, with a focus on resilience, risk management response options, and adaptation measures, considering both their potential and limitations. It brings together knowledge on physical and biogeochemical changes, the interplay with ecosystem changes, and the implications for human communities. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis

Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis
Author: Intergouvernemental panel on climate change. Working group 1
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 1553
Release: 2014
Genre: Climatic changes
ISBN: 110705799X

The report also provides a comprehensive assessment of past and future sea level change in a dedicated chapter.

Quaternary Sea-Level Changes

Quaternary Sea-Level Changes
Author: Colin V. Murray-Wallace
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 503
Release: 2014-01-30
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0521820839

An important overview of Quaternary climates including detailed Pleistocene and Holocene sea-level changes, for researchers and graduate and advanced undergraduate students.

Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region

Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region
Author: R. Krishnan
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2020-06-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9811543275

This open access book discusses the impact of human-induced global climate change on the regional climate and monsoons of the Indian subcontinent, adjoining Indian Ocean and the Himalayas. It documents the regional climate change projections based on the climate models used in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and climate change modeling studies using the IITM Earth System Model (ESM) and CORDEX South Asia datasets. The IPCC assessment reports, published every 6–7 years, constitute important reference materials for major policy decisions on climate change, adaptation, and mitigation. While the IPCC assessment reports largely provide a global perspective on climate change, the focus on regional climate change aspects is considerably limited. The effects of climate change over the Indian subcontinent involve complex physical processes on different space and time scales, especially given that the mean climate of this region is generally shaped by the Indian monsoon and the unique high-elevation geographical features such as the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Tibetan Plateau and the adjoining Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal. This book also presents policy relevant information based on robust scientific analysis and assessments of the observed and projected future climate change over the Indian region.

Rising Seas

Rising Seas
Author: Vivien Gornitz
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2013-03-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0231147392

The Earth's climate is already warming due to increased concentrations of human-produced greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and the specter of rising sea level is one of global warming's most far-reaching threats. Sea level will keep rising long after greenhouse gas emissions have ceased, because of the delay in penetration of surface warming to the ocean depths and because of the slow dissipation of excess atmospheric carbon dioxide. Adopting a long perspective that interprets sea level changes both underway and expected in the near future, Vivien Gornitz completes a highly relevant and necessary study of an unprecedented age in Earth's history. Gornitz consults past climate archives to help better anticipate future developments and prepare for them more effectively. She focuses on several understudied historical events, including the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Anomaly, the Messinian salinity crisis, the rapid filling of the Black Sea (which may have inspired the story of Noah's flood), and the Storrega submarine slide, an incident possibly connected to a sea level occurrence roughly 8,000 years old. By examining dramatic variations in past sea level and climate, Gornitz concretizes the potential consequences of rapid, human-induced warming. She builds historical precedent for coastal hazards associated with a higher ocean level, such as increased damage from storm surge flooding, even if storm characteristics remain unchanged. Citing the examples of Rotterdam, London, New York City, and other forward-looking urban centers that are effectively preparing for higher sea level, Gornitz also delineates the difficult economic and political choices of curbing carbon emissions while underscoring, through past geological analysis, the urgent need to do so.

Physical Geology

Physical Geology
Author: Steven Earle
Publisher:
Total Pages: 628
Release: 2016-08-12
Genre:
ISBN: 9781537068824

This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.

Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences

Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences
Author: John H. Steele
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 3399
Release: 2001-09-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780122274305

The Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences is the most current, authoritative, and comprehensive resource on the science of the oceans. This ambitious work includes contributions from leading scientists around the world on the physical processes that drive the oceans and the chemical, biological, and geological disciplines. The Encyclopedia also covers ancillary topics such as ocean technology, law of the oceans, global programs, marine policy, the use of the oceans for food and energy, and the impact of pollution and climate changes. The many different methods used to study the oceans are covered, from ship-based systems to satellite remote sensing. Users will enjoy easy access to more than 400 articles, each approximately 3000-4000 words in length with further reading lists and extensive cross referencing. Each article provides comprehensive coverage of a particular topic, and is designed for a wide audience of students, academics, researchers, and professionals. The articles are written at a level that allows undergraduate students to understand the material, while providing active researchers with the latest technical information. Also available online on ScienceDirect. For online version information, please visit http://www.info.sciencedirect.com/reference_works Presents 402 original articles covering all the physical, chemical and biological aspects of ocean science Brings together classic scientific theories with the newest discoveries, technologies, and applications Written by the world's leading researchers and developed by a prestigious editorial board Makes information easy to find with an intuitive format, extensive cross references, further reading lists, and complete index Illustrated with more than 1900 figures and full color throughout Developed alongside each other, the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences together with the Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences provide readers a with comprehensive resource, and a link between these two fields.