CoAuthors

Se-Hyeon Cheon (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, United States); Christopher Piecuch (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, United States); Philip Thompson (University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States)

Since 1993, satellite altimeters have measured sea level with high accuracy. In contrast to tide gauges, altimeters have provided continuous observations of sea level with near-global coverage. These measurements have led to accurate estimates of the rate of global mean sea level (GMSL) rise and a clear indication of the regional deviations from this rate. Recent studies have found a statistically significant increase in the rate of GMSL rise and there are indications that the anthropogenic, or forced, pattern of sea-level rise is emerging from the internal variability. Building off of this and considering the consistent acceleration on global scales since 1970 discussed in a number of recent studies, the satellite altimetry data provides an opportunity to assess the near-term trajectory of sea-level rise. Here, we discuss the evolution of the altimeter-measured regional sea-level trends in recent years and determine the extent to which current trends are informative of the longer-term trajectory of sea-level rise. Comparisons are also made to model-based projections from recent consensus reports, demonstrating how satellite altimeter observations can be used in tandem with models to improve our assessment of future sea-level change.