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Session 10: Sea Level Rise. This session will introduce the basic natural processes and potential impacts of the natural hazard of sea level rise. (Source: UN Atlas of the Oceans). Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course. Slide 10. 1, Lecture Outline.
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Session 10: Sea Level Rise This session will introduce the basic natural processes and potential impacts of the natural hazard of sea level rise. (Source: UN Atlas of the Oceans) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 1, Lecture Outline
Introduction: Sea Level Rise in the Coastal Zone • Coastal Hazards can be defined as natural hazards that occur within the coastal zone. The hazards discussed in Sessions 6 through 10 can happen in the coastal zone, but occur in other locations as well. • The following natural hazard will be discussed in this session: • Sea level rise (Source: www.globalchange.umich.edu/) (Source: NASA) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 2, Introduction
What is Sea Level Rise? Sea Level Rise is defined as a mean rise in sea level (Source:http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/~tk/climate_dynamics/climate_impact_webpage.html) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 3, Sea Level Rise Definition
Climate Change in Geologic Time Geologic Time Divisions Change in Plant Distributions Over Time (Source: NASA) Pangaea (Source: http://www.scotese.com/climate.htm) (Source:http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/G/GeoEras.html ) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 4, Geologic Time
Climate Change in the Past 1,000 Years • Short term climate changes could be due to: • Solar irradiance • Sun spot activity • Dust in the atmosphere • Human induced changes (Source:http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/climchng.html) In the past 1,000 years, there has been significant variation in the Earth’s temperature, with corresponding climate responses (Source: http://doctorgrooveband.com/sun-spots.gif) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 5, Past 1,000 Years
Global Warming Processes The Greenhouse Effect is a process that makes the Earth inhabitable • This process can lead to an increase in global temperature when greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere • An increase in global temperature can result in sea level rise due to the melting of glaciers (Source:http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/climate/GCclimate1.html) (Source:http://library.thinkquest.org/C005137F/automobile_traffic_pollution.jpg) (Source: NASA) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 6, Global Warming Processes
Sea Level Rise Predictions Sea level rise predictions are complex and are based on multiple scenarios of global temperature change and greenhouse gas emission (Source: http://www.ghgonline.org/predictions.htm) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 7, Predictions
Uncertainties of Predictions • There are many global processes to account for in predicting climate change, plus a large amount of “noise” in the yearly temperature readings. This makes predictions based on short term data very difficult to accomplish with accuracy. (Source: USGS) (Source:http://www.ngo.grida.no/soesa/nsoer/Graphics/national/fig4_9.gif) (Source:http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/greenhou.html) (Source:www.globalchange.si.edu/ images/essay_rsl.gif) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 8, Uncertainties
Current Evidence (Source: http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/greenhou.html) Through the variability emerge trends that are more convincing Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 9, Evidence
Potential Impacts on the Natural Environment (Source: USGS) (Source: http://www.usgcrp.gov/) Loss of habitat such as coral reefs and wetlands may have significant impacts in the coastal zone Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 10, Natural Impacts
Potential Impacts on Humans and the Built Environment (Source: http://www.usgcrp.gov/) As coastal populations increase, vulnerability of those populations to sea level rise increases as well. 7 million people live below the 1 meter contour line in Bangladesh. (Source: www.jri.org.uk/brief/ climatechange.htm) Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 11, Human Impacts
Class Discussion Questions • Where do you stand on global warming? What are your biggest concerns, (if any)? • What are the mitigation techniques mentioned in the Titus article? • Which do you think are the best options? • What are some of the pros and cons associated with each method from environmental, economic, and social viewpoints? • What is your impression of the Climate Stewardship Act? Do you think that it will pass? Why or why not? • What do you think about using the best available data/science to make policy decisions? • How are the uncertainties about sea level rise similar to those with hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes? How are they different? • How are sea level rise and global warming tied to the frequency and intensity of other hazards at the coast? Session 10: Sea Level Rise Coastal Hazards Management Course Slide 10. 12, Class Discussion