Understood cause of sea level rise between 1850 and 1950

Sea Level Rise: What Really Happened Between 1850 and 1950?

Rising sea levels. It’s a phrase we hear all the time, especially when talking about climate change. But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a modern problem. Sea levels have been creeping up for well over a century. I always wondered, what exactly was going on between 1850 and 1950? Turns out, that period was a real turning point. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Thermal Expansion: The Ocean’s Silent Growth Spurt

Okay, so picture this: you heat up a pot of water, and it expands a little. That’s basically thermal expansion in action. The ocean’s been soaking up a ton of heat, and as it warms, it takes up more space. Simple as that. Since the late 1800s, the Earth’s been on a slow simmer, and the oceans have absorbed over 90% of the extra heat we’ve created. The ocean surface has warmed nearly a degree Celsius since 1850! It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s like adding a few extra inches to your waistline – you definitely notice it. Half of the sea level rise in the 20th century? Yep, that’s thermal expansion doing its thing.

Melting Glaciers: Nature’s Ice Cubes in a Warming Drink

Glaciers and ice sheets are like giant ice cubes. As the planet warms, they melt faster. All that extra water has to go somewhere, right? It flows into the ocean, adding to the overall volume. While the really big ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica get a lot of attention now, back in the early 20th century, regular mountain glaciers were also major players. I remember seeing photos of glaciers from my grandfather’s time, and the difference is just staggering.

Human Footprint: We Were Already Making Waves

The IPCC tells us the world is now about 1.09°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s. And guess what? We’re largely responsible. Even though CO2 emissions weren’t as crazy high as they are today, the Industrial Revolution was already chugging along, burning fossil fuels. Think of it as the early stages of a problem that has snowballed into something huge.

Other Bits and Pieces

Sure, thermal expansion and melting ice are the big kahunas, but other things nudge sea levels too. Changes in how we store water on land – like draining aquifers or building reservoirs – can have an impact. But honestly, these were probably smaller factors compared to the main drivers during that 1850-1950 timeframe. It’s funny, dam construction actually slowed sea level rise for a bit there!

Looking Back to See Forward

Sea level rise isn’t some brand-new crisis. Over the last 20,000 years, sea levels have risen by around 120 meters. The worrying part is how much faster it’s happening now. Back between 1900 and 1990, sea level rose between 1.2 and 1.7 millimeters per year. By 2000? That jumped to about 3.2 millimeters per year. It’s like a slow drip that’s turning into a steady stream.

The Takeaway

So, between 1850 and 1950, sea level rise was mainly a story of warmer water expanding and glaciers melting. These things were tied to rising global temperatures, which were already being nudged upward by human activities. Understanding this history isn’t just about knowing the past; it helps us get a grip on the challenges we’re facing today. Because let’s face it, that “steady stream” is only getting faster.