---
attrs:
  .publisher: AGU
  .reference_type: 0
  Abstract: "We review the sea-level and energy budgets together from 1961, using recent and updated estimates of all terms. From 1972 to 2008, the observed sea-level rise (1.8 ± 0.2 mm yr−1 from tide gauges alone and 2.1 ± 0.2 mm yr−1 from a combination of tide gauges and altimeter observations) agrees well with the sum of contributions (1.8 ± 0.4 mm yr−1) in magnitude and with both having similar increases in the rate of rise during the period. The largest contributions come from ocean thermal expansion (0.8 mm yr−1) and the melting of glaciers and ice caps (0.7 mm yr−1), with Greenland and Antarctica contributing about 0.4 mm yr−1. The cryospheric contributions increase through the period (particularly in the 1990s) but the thermosteric contribution increases less rapidly. We include an improved estimate of aquifer depletion (0.3 mm yr−1), partially offsetting the retention of water in dams and giving a total terrestrial storage contribution of −0.1 mm yr−1. Ocean warming (90% of the total of the Earth's energy increase) continues through to the end of the record, in agreement with continued greenhouse gas forcing. The aerosol forcing, inferred as a residual in the atmospheric energy balance, is estimated as −0.8 ± 0.4 W m−2 for the 1980s and early 1990s. It increases in the late 1990s, as is required for consistency with little surface warming over the last decade. This increase is likely at least partially related to substantial increases in aerosol emissions from developing nations and moderate volcanic activity."
  Author: "Church, J. A.\rWhite, N.J.\rKonikow, L.F.\rDomingues, C.M.\rCogley, J.G.\rRignot, E.\rGregory, J.M.\rvan den Broeke, M.R.\rMonaghan, A.J.\rVelicogna, I."
  DOI: 10.1029/2011GL048794
  ISSN: 0094-8276
  Issue: 18
  Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
  Keywords: 'aerosol; energy budget; sea level; 0720 Cryosphere: Glaciers; 0726 Cryosphere: Ice sheets; 1641 Global Change: Sea level change (1222, 1225, 4304, 4556); 4556 Oceanography: Physical: Sea level: variations and mean (1222, 1225, 1641)'
  Pages: L18601
  Title: Revisiting the Earth’s sea-level and energy budgets from 1961 to 2008
  Volume: 38
  Year: 2011
  _chapter: '["RF 3","Ch. 2: Our Changing Climate FINAL","Appendix 3: Climate Science FINAL"]'
  _record_number: 1454
  _uuid: 94bb1e23-8dcb-42ba-87e9-6ba5119e1984
  reftype: Journal Article
child_publication: /article/10.1029/2011GL048794
description: Revisiting the Earth’s sea-level and energy budgets from 1961 to 2008
display_name: Revisiting the Earth’s sea-level and energy budgets from 1961 to 2008
href: http://52.38.26.42:8080/reference/94bb1e23-8dcb-42ba-87e9-6ba5119e1984.yaml
identifier: 94bb1e23-8dcb-42ba-87e9-6ba5119e1984
publications:
  - /report/nca3/chapter/our-changing-climate
  - /report/nca3/chapter/appendix-climate-science-supplement
  - /report/nca3
type: reference
uri: /reference/94bb1e23-8dcb-42ba-87e9-6ba5119e1984