For the past 6,000 years, Earth experienced a gradual sea level rise. However, within the past century, Earth has experienced sea level rises not seen since 4,000 B.C. A new study examined 35,000 years of sea level fluctuations by examining about 1,000 sediment samples from the coast of Australia and Asia. Experts found that sea levels rose nearly 8 inches within the past century, which is about the same amount of sea level rise that occurred during the course of 5,900 previous years. Scientists from the Australian National University studied sea level fluctuations from 35,000 years ago because the time period falls with the interglacial period where a lot of glacial ice melted. Ice from the last ice age started melting about 16,000 years ago and caused the sea levels to rise rapidly over the next 10,000 years but the process eventually slowed down. That is, until now. Scientists theorize that the increase in temperature has much to do with this fast sea level fluctuation. Kurt Lambeck, the leader of the study stated:
"the rise in surface temperatures is amplifying both a phenomenon known as thermal expansion -- warming ocean water, which in turn causes that water to expand -- and glacial ice melt, both of which are accelerating the pace of sea level rise".
He also stated that even with conservation efforts, this pattern is most likely not going to stop.
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Link: http://www.wunderground.com/news/study-unprecedented-sea-level-rise-20141016
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