Changing Sea Levels Effects of Tides, Weather and Climate

Our scientific conference in the Maldives on climate and sea level change was going well. As a break we were taken to meet a group of local people to hear their concerns for the future of their beautiful, yet low- lying and vulnerable tropical island Republic. A little to the side of the main demonstration of speeches and banners, a small boy held up high his homemade poster. It declared ‘Down with sea level rise’. Worldwide popular concern about possible global warming and sea level rise has been expressed in many ways, but rarely as simply or as effectively. There is a sea level problem. It may affect, and should concern, us all. Political, economic and social responses need to be guided by scientific evidence and reliable interpretation of the processes involved. This publication is an introduction to the necessary scientific assess¬ ments. It looks at sea level change in terms of the three main causes - astronomical tides, weather and climate trends. It is aimed at under¬ graduate students of all levels. More advanced students are guided to extend their studies by wider reading. It will also interest and inform professionals in many fields including hydrographers, coastal engineers, geologists, biologists and, perhaps, coastal planners, marine lawyers and economists. This book began as a development from my earlier, still widely available but now out-of-print, book on Tides, Surges and Mean Sea- Level. The older book contains more detail on many topics, but this shorter and more basic book includes much new material, especially on satellite altimetry and climate change effects. My aim has been to reduce the mathematics to the minimum level necessary to describe the processes. More details are given in an appendix, and on the website that accompanies this book (http://publishing.cambridge.org/resources/ 0521532183/). This website will also update the Further reading sections at the end of each chapter. It includes detailed answers to the questions, which are intended to provoke discussion and extend the text, rather than to ensnare the reader in difficult calculations. Starting to write a book is much easier than converging on the final product. My progress has been encouraged, advised and helped by many colleagues and friends. Foremost among these are Sylvia Allison, Isabel