eustatic processes

• what is eustatic sea level change caused by?

  a change in the volume of water in the sea

  a change in the shape of the ocean basins
• what scale are the causes and effects of eustatic sea level change, and how quickly do they occur?

  the causes and effects are global

  they occur quickly
• how do changes in climate affect sea level?

  an increase in temperature causes the melting of ice sheets

  this increases the volume of water in the sea, so increases sea level

  higher temperatures also cause water to expand as the water particles have more energy and take up more space- this further raises sea level
• how does a decrease in temperature affect sea level?

  causes more precipitation to fall as snow

  this increases the volume of water stored in glaciers and decreases the volume of water stored in the sea

  this lowers sea level
• what is the rate that global sea level is currently rising?

  2mm per year

  this threatens to flood low-lying coastal areas and settlements