2.7C Contemporary sea level change

• Contemporary sea level change = sea level change from global warming or tectonic activity
• climate change causing sea level rise:

  • Warming leads to the melting of mountain glaciers
  • warming leads to thermal expansion
• Tectonic activity causing sea level change:

  • destructive margins caused increase ocean basin levels - lowering sea level
  • uplift of sea floor reduces ocean volume raising sea levels
  • faulting can uplift sections of crust, lowering sea levels