North West Atlantic Shelf Mean Sea Level time series and trend from Observations Reprocessing

'''DEFINITION'''

The sea level ocean monitoring indicator has been presented in the Copernicus Ocean State Report #8. The ocean monitoring indicator on mean sea level is derived from the DUACS delayed-time (DT-2024 version, “my” (multi-year) dataset used when available) sea level anomaly maps from satellite altimetry based on a stable number of altimeters (two) in the satellite constellation. These products are distributed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and by the Copernicus Marine Service (SEALEVEL_GLO_PHY_CLIMATE_L4_MY_008_057). 

The time series of area averaged anomalies correspond to the area average of the maps in the North-West Shelf Sea weighted by the cosine of the latitude (to consider the changing area in each grid with latitude) and by the proportion of ocean in each grid (to consider the coastal areas). The time series are corrected from regional mean GIA correction (weighted GIA mean of a 27 ensemble model following Spada et Melini, 2019). The time series are adjusted for seasonal annual and semi-annual signals and low-pass filtered at 6 months. Then, the trends/accelerations are estimated on the time series using ordinary least square fit. The trend uncertainty is provided in a 90% confidence interval. It is calculated as the weighted mean uncertainties in the region from Prandi et al., 2021. This estimate only considers errors related to the altimeter observation system (i.e., orbit determination errors, geophysical correction errors and inter-mission bias correction errors). The presence of the interannual signal can strongly influence the trend estimation depending on the period considered (Wang et al., 2021; Cazenave et al., 2014). The uncertainty linked to this effect is not considered. 

""CONTEXT"" 

Change in mean sea level is an essential indicator of our evolving climate, as it reflects both the thermal expansion of the ocean in response to its warming and the increase in ocean mass due to the melting of ice sheets and glaciers (WCRP Global Sea Level Budget Group, 2018). At regional scale, sea level does not change homogenously. It is influenced by various other processes, with different spatial and temporal scales, such as local ocean dynamic, atmospheric forcing, Earth gravity and vertical land motion changes (IPCC WGI, 2021). The adverse effects of floods, storms and tropical cyclones, and the resulting losses and damage, have increased as a result of rising sea levels, increasing people and infrastructure vulnerability and food security risks, particularly in low-lying areas and island states (IPCC, 2022a). Adaptation and mitigation measures such as the restoration of mangroves and coastal wetlands, reduce the risks from sea level rise (IPCC, 2022b).  

In this region, the time series shows decadal variations. As observed over the global ocean, the main actors of the long-term sea level trend are associated with anthropogenic global/regional warming (IPCC WGII, 2021). Decadal variability is mainly linked to the Strengthening or weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) (e.g. Chafik et al., 2019). The latest is driven by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) for decadal (20-30y) timescales (e.g. Delworth and Zeng, 2016). Along the European coast, the NAO also influences the along-slope winds dynamic which in return significantly contributes to the local sea level variability observed (Chafik et al., 2019). Hermans et al., 2020 also reported the dominant influence of wind on interannual sea level variability in a large part of this area. They also underscored the influence of the inverse barometer forcing in some coastal regions. 

""KEY FINDINGS"" 

Over the [1999/02/20 to 2025/10/18] period, the area-averaged sea level in the NWS area rises at a rate of 4.1 ± 0.8 mm/yr with an acceleration of 0.26 ± 0.06 mm/yr². This trend estimation is based on the altimeter measurements corrected from regional GIA correction (Spada et Melini, 2019) to consider the ongoing movement of land. The TOPEX-A is no longer included in the computation of regional mean sea level parameters (trend and acceleration) with version 2024 products due to potential drifts, and ongoing work aims to develop a new empirical correction. Calculation begins in February 1999 (the start of the TOPEX-B period). 

'''DOI (product):''' 
https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00271