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Sea Level Changes and the Texas Coastal Environment Introduction to lesson used with “A Virtual Tour of Texas Gulf Coast

Sea Level Changes and the Texas Coastal Environment Introduction to lesson used with “A Virtual Tour of Texas Gulf Coast Barrier Islands” 3D model. Developed by a partnership between Bureau of Economic Geology The University of Texas at Austin

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Sea Level Changes and the Texas Coastal Environment Introduction to lesson used with “A Virtual Tour of Texas Gulf Coast

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  1. Sea Level Changes and the Texas Coastal EnvironmentIntroduction to lesson used with “A Virtual Tour of Texas Gulf Coast Barrier Islands” 3D model Developed by a partnership between Bureau of Economic Geology The University of Texas at Austin Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies Texas A&M University Corpus Christi And Texas State Energy Conservation Office

  2. Mississippi Alabama Louisiana Texas Florida Gulf of Mexico Cuba Mexico

  3. Mississippi River Delta Shoreline Length Gulf = 600 km Shoreline between Sabine Pass – Louisiana/TX border and the Rio Grande - TX/Mexico border Bays = 9,400 km Shoreline surrounding all of the bays on TX coast (Galveston, Laguna Madre, etc.) Sabine Pass Galveston Bay Gulf of Mexico Texas Rio Grande Laguna Madre

  4. Increasing Carbon Dioxide Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

  5. Sources of Carbon Dioxide Electric Power Generation 40% of CO2 emissions Transportation 32 % of CO2 emissions • You release CO2 into the atmosphere every time you: • Watch TV • Use the Air Conditioner • Turn on a Light • Use a Hair Dryer • Ride in a Car • Use a Computer • Listen to a Stereo • Wash or Dry Clothes • Use a Dish Washer • Microwave a Meal Source: Energy Information Administration

  6. Sunlight brings energy into the climate system; most of it is absorbed by the oceans and land. THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT: Heat (infrared energy) radiates outward from the warmed surface of the Earth. Some of the infrared energy is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which re-emit the energy in all directions. Some of the infrared energy further warms the Earth. Some of the infrared energy is emitted into space. AMPLIFIED GREENHOUSE EFFECT: Higher concentrations of CO2 and other "greenhouse" gases trap more infrared energy in the atmosphere than occurs naturally. The additional heat further warms the atmosphere and Earth’s surface. Source: Koshland Science Museum http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc/greenhouse01.jsp

  7. Increased Greenhouse Gases’ possible Impact on Global Sea Level • Increased greenhouse gasses in the Earth’s atmosphere my result in more infrared energy (heat) being trapped • This may cause the Earth’s surface and atmosphere to become warmer • A warmer Earth could mean an increase in glacial melting and warmer ocean temperatures • As water becomes warmer, it expands taking up more space. This phenomenon is called thermal expansion • Thermal expansion of ocean water + increase of water in the oceans due to glacial melting = rising sea level. *Local sea level change is also effected by changes in land elevation through faulting, subsidence, and shoreline erosion.

  8. Relative Sea Level Rise

  9. Global Sea Level Rise From IPCC 4th assessment report Artale et al., 2007

  10. Present Sea Level Corpus Christi Bay

  11. 1-m Sea Level Rise

  12. 2-m Sea Level Rise

  13. 3-m Sea Level Rise

  14. 4-m Sea Level Rise

  15. 5-m Sea Level Rise

  16. Areas Vulnerable to Sea-level Rise on the Texas Coast Source: Environmental Protection Agency

  17. Global Impact of Sea-Level Rise Sea-Level Rise (m) Population Affected (millions) 1 107.94 2 175.10 3 233.99 4 308.08 5 376.26 From Rowley, Kostelnick, Braaten, Li, and Meisel, 2007, EOS

  18. Protective Ridge Bay Gulf Wetland Upland Island Core Upland Wetland Upland Beach/ Dune Future Wetland Barrier Island Cross Section Today Future Beach/Dune After 60 Years of Sea-Level Rise and Erosion Protective Ridge Wetland Island Core Beach/ Dune Upland Wetland Upland

  19. 0m +0.46m +0.87m Mustang IslandInundationby Year 2100 Based on IPCC (2007) sea-level rise projections plus local land subsidence estimate

  20. Sea Level Changes and the Texas Coastal Environment Lesson • Read the information provided to you by your teacher. • View the video for a demonstration of navigating through the model. • Explore the model on your own to familiarize yourself with navigating and using the data in the model. Also use this time to familiarize yourself with the geography of the Gulf of Mexico and the Texas Coast. • Answer the questions in the lesson. http://coastal.beg.utexas.edu/thscmp/index.html

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