For the past decade, sea level along the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) have been rising at a rate faster than almost anywhere in the world, according to a new study by Tulane University researchers.
Torbjörn Törnqvist and Soenke Dangedorf, authors of the study, looked at tide gauge data from Cape Hatteras, NC, to the Gulf of Mexico. They found seas were rising at a rate of roughly 10mm per year since 2010.
Seas' rising is created by numerous factors and can be intensified by ice melting and subsidence, but research suggests over 10 years, something different is at work: Ocean warming and changes in circulation.
Winds in the tropical Atlantic have pushed warmer water into the GoM, which is a natural cycle. But the rate is what has made the difference, and something that can be contributed to climate changes.
Neither Torbjörn nor Soenke expect such a rate to continue indefinitely and is likely to a more normal rate. However, that doesn't mean the issue is going away.
"(S)ea level is going to continue to rise," said Torbjörn, but at this rate would "still be problematic."
Torbjörn believes that what the Gulf Coast has experienced over 10 years could be a snapshot at the end of the 21st Century.
Torbjörn added: " If this becomes the new normal, well then it’s going to be a very tough story."
In the meantime, this will give the duo the chance to study the rapid rise's impact on Louisiana's wetlands that have been under a lot of stress but studying the response to the last 10 years could give an idea of their resilience to future rises of the sea.
The full research paper can be found at Nature Journal. (KATC 06/23/23)
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