Sea level pattern from circulation changes


    ThcSeal
    Sea level change after overturning collapse
    • The oceanic overturning circulation crosses the Atlantic twice - once from South Africa towards the American coast and then back in the North toward Europe.
    • When the circulations stops the change in currents needs to be balanced geostrophically by sea level changes which leads to a sea level rise of up to 1m in the North Atlantic.

    Publications

    C. F. Schleussner, K. Frieler, M. Meinshausen, J. Xin, A. Levermann
    Emulating Atlantic overturning strength for low emission scenarios: consequences for sea-level rise along the North American east coast
    Earth System Dynamics 2 (2011), 191-200.
    bibtex entry - endnote entry

    Overturning sea-level change
    A. Levermann, A. Griesel, M. Hofmann, M. Montoya, S. Rahmstorf
    Dynamic sea level changes following changes in the thermohaline circulation
    Climate Dynamics, 24 (2005),  347-354.
    bibtex entry


    Press release
    Changes in Ocean Circulation Could Lead To Rapid Regional Sea Level Change (4 Apr. 2005)