Recent NASA-led research reveals that land-based factors are just as crucial as oceanic influences in determining flooding risks along coastlines. According to lead author Marin Govorcin, a remote sensing scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in areas like the reclaimed land under San Francisco, the sinking of the land is outpacing the rise of the sea. By analyzing satellite data, the research team identified land subsidence along California’s coast, driven by various factors such as groundwater extraction and tectonic activity. When land sinking coincides with sea level rise, even minor changes can significantly impact communities’ vulnerability.
Key Findings:
– Certain areas, particularly around the San Francisco Bay, are sinking steadily at a rate exceeding 0.4 inches annually.
– By 2050, sea levels in California are expected to rise between 6 and 14.5 inches. Factoring in the revealed sinking rate, projections show a doubling of sea level rise in the most at-risk locations.
– The study also identified instances of land rising, emphasizing the importance of monitoring these dynamic shifts.
– Prior sea level rise studies primarily relied on tidal gauge data, providing only a partial perspective.
Significance:
– Existing research has demonstrated land subsidence in various regions coinciding with rising sea levels, such as New York City sinking under urban development and Louisiana’s coast sinking, endangering New Orleans further.
– Sea level rise results from ocean warming and higher atmospheric temperatures, leading to thermal expansion of ocean water and melting of glaciers and ice sheets, driven by greenhouse gas emissions.
– Apart from increasing flood risks, sea level rise can worsen storm surges, erosion, and hurricane impacts, while exacerbating nuisance flooding during high tides.
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