A new study found that the sea level in New York jumped by four inches between 2009 and 2010. Evidently, the unusual flooding in the area should be blamed to spike in sea level instead of the hurricanes and winter storms.
Researchers at the University of Arizona looked at the monthly tide-gauge records in the region since the 1900s. They noticed that 2009 and 2010 showed a consistent rise in the sea level; this steady increase was not observed in previous years.
The team decided to focus on this two-year data and compared it to the ocean circulation data of the same period from the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the major current in the Atlantic ocean. Ocean circulation is the movement of seawater in the oceans. This movement is driven by the winds and the temperature of the water in the polar regions.
The researchers used a computer model to calculate the rise in sea level in New York as well as predict future rise.
The findings showed the sea level in New York jumped by four inches in 2009 and 2010, and that this is directly correlated to the change in ocean circulation. The researchers also noted that as more carbon dioxide is being absorbed by the ocean, such increase will continue.
"The thing that stands out is the time extent of this event as well as the spatial extent of the event," said first author Paul Goddard, a UA doctoral candidate in geosciences, in a news release.
The results remain consistent even after considering other factors such as the hurricanes and winter storms that also contribute to sea level rise in the region.
The study is the first to provide evidence that the rise in sea level can last for two years instead of few months. It is also the first to highlight that changes in ocean circulation is affecting sea level.
The researchers warned that coastal areas should start preparing for the effects of the rising sea level and the possibility of storm surges.
"Statistical analysis indicates that it is a 1-in-850 year event," study co-author Prof Jianjun Yin told BBC News.
The study was published in the Feb. 24 issue of Nature Communications.
