HR: 09:00h
AN: U31D-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Satellite Measurements of Sea Level Change: Looking Back and Ahead
AU: * Nerem, R S
EM: nerem@colorado.edu
AF: Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, University of Colorado, 431UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0431, United States
AB: Over the last few decades, satellite geodetic measurements together with in situ measurements, have revolutionized our understanding of present-day sea level change. With measurements from satellite altimeter missions and satellite gravity missions, we are now able to start answering some important questions with regards to global sea level change and its regional variations. What have we learned from these measurements? Would we change any of the decisions we made in the past? What are the remaining questions to be answered? What suite of measurements are needed to answer these questions? The record of sea level change from satellite altimetry (TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason) will be reviewed and the results placed in context with other estimates of sea level change from tide gauges, in situ measurements, and global climate models. The much shorter, but just as important, record of ocean mass variations from satellite gravity measurements (GRACE) will be similarly reviewed. The coupling of changes in the global water cycle with sea level change will be discussed. Finally, the need for continuing the satellite measurements of sea level change, and possibly developing new measurements, will be discussed in the context of future missions and the scientific gain that would result.
UR: http://sealevel.colorado.edu
DE: 1223 Ocean/Earth/atmosphere/hydrosphere/cryosphere interactions (0762, 1218, 3319, 4550)
DE: 1225 Global change from geodesy (1222, 1622, 1630, 1641, 1645, 4556)
DE: 4556 Sea level: variations and mean (1222, 1225, 1641)
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting