Description
Estimates future increases in sea level that are projected to occur due to increasing global mean temperature (GMT).
Input variables
- Average increase in global mean temperature (GMT) above base year
Key assumptions
This module is based on a linear algorithm developed by Rahmstorf, based on extrapolating from increases in temperature and sea level that occurred during the 20th century.
This approach was chosen because, according to Rahmstorf the "capability for calculating future sea-level changes...with present physics based models is very limited."
The key parameter values for the module are:
- Baseline annual increase in sea level of 3.4 millimeters for each degree Celsius by which GMT in that year exceeds pre-industrial levels (C-LEARN uses this baseline parameter in all of its outputs).
- User-specified parameter which enables adjustment of baseline annual increase to take into account faster or slower ice sheet melt (this parameter is adjustable in C-ROADS but not in C-LEARN).
Parameter value of 1 doubles annual sea level increase per degree of increase in GMT to 6.8 mm per degree Celsius.
Parameter value of -1 reduces annual sea level increase to 0 mm.
Output variables
- Cumulative increase in sea level above baseline year
Return to C-LEARN modules