Geodesy Group

Research on Sea-Level Change

Left: Schematic illustrating some of the many contributions to relative sea-level change. Some common contributions, like tides, are not shown. Based on an illustration by Dr. Julia de Juan.

Sea-level research in Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's Geodesy Group is focused on understanding and quantifying the physical processes that contribute to past, present, and future long-term sea-level change. Although it is often assumed that uniform sea-level change results simply from meltwater from Earth's large and small ice complexes, this "bathtub model" for sea-level change does not take into account the complex interactions among Earth's systems. Our research focuses on understanding these interactions by employing a wide range of observations relevant to sea level, redistribution of water on Earth's surface, and climate—as well as models and assessments that assimilate such observations.

Jim Davis and his colleagues are members of the NASA Sea-Level Change Team. More information on sea-level research can be found on the NASA Sea-Level Portal and in the presentations below.