<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-26/sea-levels-will-rise-new-research-nasa/104400114>
'Pacific Island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati and Fiji will experience at
least 20 centimetres of sea level rise in the next 30 years regardless of
whether greenhouse gas emissions change in the short term, according to new
research from NASA.
The analysis found that the number of high-tide flooding days — otherwise known
as nuisance flooding or sunny day flooding (a temporary inundation of low-lying
areas, especially streets) — in an average year will increase significantly for
nearly all Pacific Island nations by the 2050s.
For example, areas of low lying island Tuvalu that currently see less than five
high-tide flood days a year could average 25 flood days annually by the 2050s.
In Kiribati, regions that see fewer than five flood days a year today will
experience an average of 65 flood days annually by the 2050s, according to the
research.
The NASA Earth Science Division's ocean physics program director, Dr Nadya
Vinogradova Shiffer, said their findings provided a clearer picture of what
"flooding frequency and severity look like" over the coming decades.
"Sea level will continue to rise for centuries, causing more frequent
flooding," she said.
The effects of sea level rise differ across the world due to several factors
including global and local conditions, the topography of a coastline and how
glacial meltwater is distributed in the ocean.
However, Pacific Island nations face more dire circumstances compared to the
rest of the world.
"We're always focused on the differences in sea level rise from one region to
another, but in the Pacific the numbers are surprisingly consistent," said Ben
Hamlington, a sea level researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
California and the agency's sea level change science team lead.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
