Low-frequency sea-level variability in the South China Sea and its relationship to ENSO

Sea-level variability in the South China Sea was investigated based on satellite altimetry, tide-gauge data, and temperature and salinity climatology. The altimetric sea-level results clearly reveal three distinct amphidromes associated with the annual cycle. The annual sea level is higher in fall/winter in the coast and shelf region and lower in summer/fall in the central sea, agreeing well with independent tide-gauge data. Averaged over the deep basin (bottom depth?>?2,000 m), the annual cycle can be approximately accounted for by the steric height relative to 700 db. Significant interannual sea-level change is observed from altimetry and tide-gauge data. The interannual and longer-term sea-level variability in the altimetric data is negatively correlated (significant at the 95% confidence level) with the El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO), attributed in part to the steric height change. The altimetric sea-level rise rate is 1.0 cm/year for the period from 1993 to 2001, which is consistent with the rate derived from coastal tide-gauge data and approximately accountable for by the steric height calculated relative to 700 db. The tide-gauge sea-level (steric height) rise rate of 1.05 (0.9) cm/year from 1993 to 2001 is much larger than that of 0.22 (0.12) cm/year for the period from 1979 to 2001, implying the sensitivity to the length of data as a result of the decadal variability. Potential roles of the ENSO in the interannual and longer-term sea-level variability are discussed in terms of regional manifestations such as the ocean temperature and salinity.     

Low-frequency sea-level variability in the South China Sea and its relationship with ENSO

Sea-level variability in the South China Sea was investigated based on satellite altimetry, tide-gauge data, and temperature and salinity climatology. The altimetric sea-level results clearly reveal three distinct amphidromes associated with the annual cycle. The annual sea level is higher in fall/winter in the coast and shelf region and in summer/fall in the central sea, agreeing well with independent tide-gauge data. Averaged over the deep basin (bottom depth>2,000 m), the annual cycle can be approximately accounted for by the steric height relative to 700 db. Significant interannual sea-level change is observed from altimetry and tide-gauge data. The interannual and longer-term sea-level variability in the altimetric data is negatively correlated (significant at the 95% confidence level) with the El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO), attributed in part to the steric height change. The altimetric sea-level rise rate is 1.0 cm/year for the period from 1993 to 2001, which is consistent with the rate derived from coastal tide-gauge data and approximately accountable for by the steric height calculated relative to 700 db. The altimetric sea-level (steric height) rise rate of 1.05 (0.9) cm/year from 1993 to 2001 is much larger than that of 0.22 (0.12) cm/year for the period from 1979 to 2001, implying the sensitivity to the length of data as a result of the decadal variability. Potential roles of the ENSO in the interannual and longer-term sea-level variability are discussed in terms of regional manifestations such as the ocean temperature and salinity.     

Sea level responses to climatic variability and change in northern British Columbia

Abstract

Sea level responses to climatic variability (CV) and change (CC) signals at multiple temporal scales (interdecadal to monthly) are statistically examined using long‐term water level records from Prince Rupert (PR) on the north coast of British Columbia. Analysis of observed sea level data from PR, the longest available record in the region, indicates an annual average mean sea level (MSL) trend of +1.4±0.6 mm yr^?1 for the period (1939–2003), as opposed to the longer term trend of 1±0.4 mm yr^?1 (1909–2003). This suggests a possible acceleration in MSL trends during the latter half of the twentieth century. According to the results of this study, the causes behind this acceleration can be attributed not only to the effects of global warming but also to cyclic climate variability patterns such as the strong positive Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) phase that has been present since the mid‐1970s. The linear regression model based on highest sea levels (MAXSL) of each calendar year showed a trend exceeding twice that (3.4 mm yr^?1) of MSL. Previous work shows that the influence of vertical crustal motions on relative sea level are negligible at PR.

Relations between sea levels and known CV indices (e.g., the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI), PDO, Northern Oscillation Index (NOI), and Aleutian Low Pressure Index (ALPI)) are explored to identify potential controls of CV phenomena (e.g., the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), PDO) on regional MSL and MAXSL. Linear and non‐linear statistical methods including correlation analyses, multiple regression, Cumulative Sum (CumSum) analysis, and Superposed Epoch Analysis (SEA) are used. Results suggest that ENSO forcing (as shown by the MEI and NOI indices) exerts significant influence on winter sea level fluctuations, while the PDO dominates summer sea level variability. The observational evidence at PR also shows that, during the period 1939–2003, these cyclic shorter temporal scale sea level fluctuations in response to CV were significantly greater than the longer term sea‐level rise trend by as much as an order of magnitude and with trends over twice that of MSL. Such extreme sea level fluctuations related to CV events should be the immediate priority for the development of coastal adaptation strategies, as they are superimposed on long‐term MSL trends, resulting in greater hazard than longer term MSL rise trends alone.     

Regional features of long-term variability of the Black Sea surface temperature

The regional features oflong-term variability ofsea surface temperature (SST) in the Black Sea are analyzed using the satellite data for 1982-2014. It is demonstrated that the maximum intraannual and interannual variability of SST is registered on the northwestern shelf of the Black Sea. The high level of interannual variability of SST and maximum linear trends are observed in the northeastern part of the sea. The qualitative connection is revealed between the long-term variability of SST and the variations in the intensity of the Black Sea Rim Current in the long-term seasonal cycle. An increase in the level of interannual variability of SST is observed in summer, when the Black Sea Rim Current weakens. The significant negative correlation is revealed between the interannual anomalies of SST and the NAO index. The highest correlation coefficients are obtained for the eastern part of the Black Sea and near the Crimean coast.     

Cloudiness over the Black Sea region in 1985–2009 from satellite data

The seasonal and interannual variability ofcloud fraction over the Black Sea region for the period of1985-2009 is analyzed using the CM SAF dataset obtained from the satellite measurements of a high-resolution AVHRR instrument. The features of geographic distribution and seasonal variations in cloudiness are investigated. The causes for its spatial inhomogeneity in different months are analyzed. It is demonstrated using the long-term dataset that the dramatic decrease in the amount of cloudiness occurred over the Black Sea region from 67% in 1985 to 54% in 2008. The value of the trend is -0.4% per year. Both the trends and the features of interannual variability of cloudiness, in particular, strongly pronounced four-year cycles, are in antiphase with variations in sea surface temperature. The cloudiness reduction accompanied by the increase in the influx of short-wave radiation may be the basic reason for the warming and sea surface temperature variations in the Black Sea region.     

Seasonal and long-term sea-level variations and their forcing factors in the northern Bay of Bengal: A statistical analysis of temperature,salinity, wind stress curl,and regional climate index data

In the northern Bay of Bengal, mechanisms of seasonal sea-level variation have not previously been examined, and the understanding of longer-term inter-annual sea-level variation is also not concrete. These parameters are addressed in this study utilizing available tide gauge and satellite altimetry data. The contribution of steric sea level to seasonal and longer-term inter-annual sea-level variations is quantified, and statistical analysis is performed to determine the correlations of various atmospheric and oceanic factors with sea level. This study suggests that the trend of sea-level rise in this bay (4 ± 1.33 mm/year) is higher than the global average (3.32 ± 0.46 mm/year) for the studied period 1993 to 2018. The rate of sea-level rise is higher along the coast than in the offshore area and the highest in the central part of the coast. Sea level shows a strong seasonal variation: sea level is the lowest in the winter but the highest in autumn. The contribution from the thermosteric sea level is higher to the observed sea level from winter to early summer, whereas contributions from the halosteric sea level and wind stress curl are higher during autumn. Long-term variations in sea level show strong positive correlations with thermosteric sea level, indicating that temperature is a major local controlling factor for sea-level change. In addition to local factors, long-term sea level also varies by remote forcing (equatorial zonal wind stress), which explains approximately 36 % of the sea-level variation in this bay. Sea level is low during the combined events of positive Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) and El Niño, whereas the sea level is high during the combined events of negative IOD and La Niña. This study provides an improved understanding of seasonal and longer-term inter-annual variations of sea level and the necessary groundworks for a dedicated model study to further quantify all the components of the sea-level budget in the study areas.     

Structure of climatic variability of the Mediterranean sea surface temperature. Part I. Standard deviations and linear trends

Interannual and longer-period variability of the Mediterranean sea surface temperature is studied in terms of standard deviations and linear trends based on the 1951–2000 data. It is shown that both standard deviations and linear SST trends in the Mediterranean Sea are clearly season-dependent. Seasonality of standard deviations is characterized by a zonally-oriented seesaw with opposite changes in standard deviations in the western and eastern parts of the basin from season to season. The SST trend seasonality is pronounced in winter in predominant negative SST trends, and in summer in positive trends. Such seasonal differences indicate that long-term Mediterranean SST variability has different mechanisms of formation.     

A new atmospheric proxy for sea level variability in the southeastern North Sea: observations and future ensemble projections

Atmosphere–ocean interactions are known to dominate seasonal to decadal sea level variability in the southeastern North Sea. In this study an atmospheric proxy for the observed sea level variability in the German Bight is introduced. Monthly mean sea level (MSL) time series from 13 tide gauges located in the German Bight and one virtual station record are evaluated in comparison to sea level pressure fields over the North Atlantic and Europe. A quasi-linear relationship between MSL in the German Bight and sea level pressure over Scandinavia and the Iberian Peninsula is found. This relationship is used (1) to evaluate the atmospheric contribution to MSL variability in hindcast experiments over the period from 1871–2008 with data from the twentieth century reanalysis v2 (20CRv2), (2) to isolate the high frequency meteorological variability of MSL from longer-term changes, (3) to derive ensemble projections of the atmospheric contribution to MSL until 2100 with eight different coupled global atmosphere–ocean models (AOGCM’s) under the A1B emission scenario and (4) two additional projections for one AOGCM (ECHAM5/MPI-OM) under the B1 and A2 emission scenarios. The hindcast produces a reasonable good reconstruction explaining approximately 80 % of the observed MSL variability over the period from 1871 to 2008. Observational features such as the divergent seasonal trend development in the second half of the twentieth century, i.e. larger trends from January to March compared to the rest of the year, and regional variations along the German North Sea coastline in trends and variability are well described. For the period from 1961 to 1990 the Kolmogorov-Smirnow test is used to evaluate the ability of the eight AOGCMs to reproduce the observed statistical properties of MSL variations. All models are able to reproduce the statistical distribution of atmospheric MSL. For the target year 2100 the models point to a slight increase in the atmospheric component of MSL with generally larger changes during winter months (October–March). Largest MSL changes in the order of ~5–6 cm are found for the high emission scenario A2, whereas the moderate B1 and intermediate A1B scenarios lead to moderate changes in the order of ~3 cm. All models point to an increasing atmospheric contribution to MSL in the German Bight, but the uncertainties are considerable, i.e. model and scenario uncertainties are in the same order of magnitude.     

A comparison of sea level projections based on the observed and reconstructed sea level data around the Korean Peninsula

In an attempt to estimate accurate local sea level change, “sea level trend” modes are identified and separated from natural variability via cyclostationary empirical orthogonal function (CSEOF) analysis applied to both the tide gauge data (1965–2013) and the reconstruction data (1950–2010) around the Korean Peninsula. For the tide gauge data, ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method is also used to estimate sea level trend to understand an uncertainty from different analysis tools. The three trend models—linear, quadratic, and exponential—are fitted to the amplitude time series of the trend mode so that future projection of sea level can be made. Based on a quadratic model, the rate of local sea level rise (SLR) is expected to be 4.63?±?1.1 mm year^?1 during 2010–2060. The estimates of “local” sea level trend vary up to ～30%. It should be noted that, although the three trend models estimate similar sea level trends during the observational period, the projected sea level trend and subsequent SLR differ significantly from one model to another and between the tide gauge data and the reconstruction data; this results in a substantial uncertainty in the future SLR around the Korean Peninsula.     

Changes in Mean Relative Sea Level around Canada in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries

Abstract

Trends in regional mean sea levels can be substantially different from the global mean trend. Here, we first use tide-gauge data and satellite altimetry measurements to examine trends in mean relative sea level (MRSL) for the coasts of Canada over approximately the past 50–100 years. We then combine model output and satellite observations to provide sea level projections for the twenty-first century. The MRSL trend based on historical tide-gauge data shows large regional variations, from 3?mm?y^?1 (higher than the global mean MRSL rise rate of 1.7?mm?y^?1 for 1900–2009) along the southeast Atlantic coast, close to or below the global mean along the Pacific and Arctic coasts, to –9?mm?y^?1 in Hudson Bay, as indicated by the vertical land motion. The combination of altimeter-measured sea level change with Global Positioning System (GPS) data approximately accounts for tide-gauge measurements at most stations for the 1993–2011 period. The projected MRSL change between 1980 and 1999 and between 2090 and 2099 under a medium-high climate change emission scenario (A2) ranges from ?50?cm in northeastern Canada to 75?cm in southeastern Canada. Along the coast of the Beaufort Sea, the MRSL rise is as high as 70?cm. The MRSL change along the Pacific coast varies from ?15 to 50?cm. The ocean steric and dynamical effects contribute to the rise in MRSL along Canadian coasts and are dominant on the southeast coast. Land-ice (glaciers and ice sheets) melt contributes 10–20?cm to the rise in MRSL, except in northeastern Canada. The effect of the vertical land uplift is large and centred near Hudson Bay, significantly reducing the rise in MRSL. The land-ice melt also causes a decrease in MRSL in northeastern Canada. The projected MRSL change under a high emission scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5) has a spatial pattern similar to that under A2, with a slightly greater rise in MRSL of 7?cm, on average, and some notable differences at specific sites.     

On the resonance-wave mechanism of major Baltic inflows

The features of the spatiotemporal variability of the sea level in the North and Baltic seas during the periods of formation of major Baltic inflows are investigated using the analysis of satellite altimetry data. It is demonstrated that dramatic drops in the sea level between the Baltic and North seas are observed during a few weeks before major inflows. A process of intensive inflows of the North Sea water to the Baltic Sea is accompanied not only by horizontal motions but also by vertical ones manifested in the increase in convergent flows in the North Sea and divergent flows in the Baltic Sea. A pronounced feature of the low-frequency dynamics of water of the North and Baltic seas is its wave structure. In both seas, low-frequency waves with the periods of 14–36 days propagate with the eastern component of the phase velocity along the isobaths and are identified as barotropic topographic Rossby waves. Phase velocities and lengths of low-frequency waves in the Baltic Sea are smaller by several times than those in the North Sea. Using the data of the analysis of meteorological information, a resonance-wave mechanism of generation of major Baltic inflows is studied.     

Spatial and Temporal Features of Synoptic and Mesoscale Variability of the Baltic Sea Level

The spatial and temporal features of synoptic and mesoscale variability of the Baltic Sea level are studied using long-term hourly data. The spectral analysis revealed significant difference in the structure of the sea level spectra between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. The maximum variance of the synoptic sea level variability is observed at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia and in the southwestern part of the Baltic Sea, whereas the maximum variance of mesoscale variability is registered at the head of the Gulf of Finland and in the southwestern part of the sea. The minimum variance of synoptic sea level variability was observed in the Gulf of Bothnia in the 1950s–1960s, and the maximum was recorded at the beginning and at the end of the 20th century. The series of interdecadal variability of synoptic sea level fluctuations have a weak negative trend up to ?0.11 cm²/year in Kungsholmfrost. A significant qualitative and quantitative correlation was detected between the interannual variability of variance of mesoscale sea level variations in the Gulf of Finland (Gornyi Institut) and the Gulf of Riga (Parnu) and the interannual variability of the NAO index.     

Monitoring sea level changes

Future sea level rise arouses concern because of potentially deleterious impacts to coastal regions. These will stem not only from the loss of land through inundation and erosion, but also from increased frequency of storm floods, with a rising base level, even with no change in storm climatology, and from saltwater intrusion and greater amounts of waterlogging. Current sea level trends are important in formulating an accurate baseline for future projections. Sea level, furthermore, is an important parameter which integrates a number of oceanic and atmospheric processes. The ocean surface demonstrates considerable variability on diurnal, seasonal, and interannual time scales, induced by winds, storm waves, coastal upwelling, and geostrophic currents. Secular trends in sea level arise from changes in global mean temperature and also from crustal deformation on local to regional scales. The challenge facing researchers is how best to extract the climate signal from this noise.This paper re-examines recent estimates of sea level rise, discusses causes of variability in the sea level records, and describes methods employed to filter out some of these contaminating signals. Evidence for trends in long-term sea level records and in extreme events is investigated. Application of satellite geodesy to sea level research is briefly reviewed.     

近海面风场对黄东海域海平面特征影响的分析与模拟

基于1993—2012年TOPEX/Poseidon(T/P)卫星海平面异常SLA(Sea Level Anomaly)数据和FSCR(Climate Forecast System Reanalysis)再分析风场资料,分析黄东海域近20 a海平面的时空分布特征,尤其是不同时间尺度风场影响的变化特征,进而通过区域海洋模式对海面高度短期变化的可能机制进行探讨。结果表明:1)黄东海域海平面多年平均状态为南高北低,近海面季节性风场在岸线分布和海水热膨胀特征下,造成海面冬春季偏低,夏秋季偏高。近20 a黄东海域平均风速逐步减弱,平均海面上升速率为2.9 mm/a。2)风场的短期活动主要为灾害性大风,统计显示冬夏寒潮大风和台风大风均呈频数减少、强度增强的趋势。运用FVCOM(Finite Volume Community Ocean Model)模拟分析台风和寒潮作用下黄东海域海平面的变化,发现台风强风可形成辐散式海流气旋式涡旋,对应海面为下凹负值中心;北路寒潮大风可形成海流反气旋式涡旋,对应海面为上凸正值中心。两类涡旋的强海流部分增强了海面倾斜度。3)强海流部分动能和动量迅速向海水深部下传,无论在深度和强度上,寒潮造成的海流涡旋动能和动量下传比台风涡旋更迅速,更强。这与寒潮降温引起的海洋层结不稳定对流作用有关。     

Decadal and long-term sea level variability in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean

In this study, we analysed decadal and long-term steric sea level variations over 1966–2007 period in the Indo-Pacific sector, using an ocean general circulation model forced by reanalysis winds. The simulated steric sea level compares favourably with sea level from satellite altimetry and tide gauges at interannual and decadal timescales. The amplitude of decadal sea level variability (up to ~5 cm standard deviation) is typically nearly half of the interannual variations (up to ~10 cm) and two to three times larger than long-term sea level variations (up to 2 cm). Zonal wind stress varies at decadal timescales in the western Pacific and in the southern Indian Ocean, with coherent signals in ERA-40 (from which the model forcing is derived), NCEP, twentieth century and WASWind products. Contrary to the variability at interannual timescale, for which there is a tendency of El Niño and Indian Ocean Dipole events to co-occur, decadal wind stress variations are relatively independent in the two basins. In the Pacific, those wind stress variations drive Ekman pumping on either side of the equator, and induce low frequency sea level variations in the western Pacific through planetary wave propagation. The equatorial signal from the western Pacific travels southward to the west Australian coast through equatorial and coastal wave guides. In the Indian Ocean, decadal zonal wind stress variations induce sea level fluctuations in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, through equatorial and coastal wave-guides. Wind stress curl in the southern Indian Ocean drives decadal variability in the south-western Indian Ocean through planetary waves. Decadal sea level variations in the south–western Indian Ocean, in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and in the Bay of Bengal are weakly correlated to variability in the Pacific Ocean. Even though the wind variability is coherent among various wind products at decadal timescales, they show a large contrast in long-term wind stress changes, suggesting that long-term sea level changes from forced ocean models need to be interpreted with caution.     

中国近海海平面变化趋势的对比分析

本文分析了近40年的中国近海验潮站资料海表面高度的线性变化趋势,并与卫星高度计资料进行了对比。通过对验潮站资料的分析发现,中国海域无论是近40年(1970~2013年)、还是近20年(1993~2013年)海平面均显著上升。各海区近20年的海平面上升有加速的趋势,且各时段上升速率大于全球平均海平面上升率。但是,受到海平面的年际和年代际变化的影响,近10年海平面上升趋势放缓。同时,本文也分析了不同季节海平面变化的趋势,北部海域秋季最大,冬季最小;南海海域春季最大,秋季最小。通过AVISO资料和验潮站资料的对比可以发现,AVISO资料在描述近20年海平面变化的线性趋势上与验潮站资料接近,较大的差异主要是由验潮站地表发生升降引起的。同时,通过对比也发现了用验潮站资料估算海域平均的海平面高度变化会有一定的误差,在黄海、渤海、东海海域验潮站估计的数值偏高,而在南海海域则偏低。     

Anomalies of hydrometeorological fields in the Black Sea area associated with sea surface temperature gradients in the North Atlantic

To describe the spatial structure of hydrometeorological fields in the North Atlantic and in the Black Sea, the temperature indices (sea surface temperature gradients) representing the difference in sea surface temperature anomalies averaged throughout the water area and normalized by standard deviations are introduced. Temperature gradients between the Sargasso Sea and the tropics (STI), the Sargasso Sea and the subpolar cyclonic gyre (SNI), the Sargasso Sea and the Black Sea (SBI) are considered. The spatial structure of the sea surface temperature field anomalies in the North Atlantic and in the Black Sea at extreme values of STI and SBI is discussed. A sign-variable structure of air temperature and precipitation anomalies in the Black Sea area at extreme values of SBI is shown. Time scales of sign-variable variability of anomalies of hydrometeorological fields in the Black Sea area are estimated.     

Potential hydrometeorological threshold values of the coastal hazard—an example from the Polish Southern Baltic coast

This paper analyses the spatiotemporal variability of extreme hydrometeorological events at the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea. Extreme precipitation events and storm surges determine to the largest extent the contemporary transformations of sea coastal geoecosystems and represent the major factors that disturb their functioning. The statistical characteristics of these values were computed from the data of six meteorological and tide-gage stations located at the Baltic seaside. Daily data on the amount of precipitation and the sea level for the period of 1966–2009 were used for the study. Annual and daily maximum values of precipitation and sea level are presented for the Southern Baltic coast. The threshold values of the hydrometeorological parameters considered in the study allow assessing the hazard caused by the disturbance of the functional stability of the sea coastal geoecosystems.