Discussion of: Houston,J.R. and Dean,R.G., 2011. Sea-level acceleration based on U.S. tide gauges and extensions of previous global-gauge analyses. Journal of Coastal Research, 27(3), 409-417

Permanent Link:: http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI15061992/00001

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Title:: Discussion of: Houston,J.R. and Dean,R.G., 2011. Sea-level acceleration based on U.S. tide gauges and extensions of previous global-gauge analyses. Journal of Coastal Research, 27(3), 409-417
Series Title:: Journal of Coastal Research
Creator:: Donoghue,Joseph F.
Parkinson,Randall W.
Publisher:: Coastal Education and Research Foundation
Publication Date:: 2011
Language:: English

Summary:: In a recent article, Houston and Dean (2011) attempted to quantify acceleration in the rate of historical sea-level rise (SLR) by analyzing monthly averaged, long-term, tide-gauge records for 57 U.S. tide stations. The data were extracted from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) at the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool, U.K. The investigation involved the calculation of accelerations for each station for the period of record, plus accelerations for the 25 stations whose records extended back to 1930. The authors calculated decelerations, i.e., a slowing in the rate of SLR, for 16 of the 25 selected long-term gauge records. The authors stated that there is no evidence of acceleration in 20th century SLR, despite rising atmospheric temperatures. Therefore, they contended the accelerations forecasted to accompany continued warming are highly suspect. They concluded that researchers must now determine why global warming has not produced an acceleration in SLR. We believe the authors’ conclusions are erroneous for a variety of reasons, including those argued in the accompanying rebuttals. We will focus our criticism on three issues in the sections that follow. ( English )

Source Institution:: Florida International University
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Host material:: Discussion of: Houston,J.R. and Dean,R.G., 2011. Sea-level acceleration based on U.S. tide gauges and extensions of previous global-gauge analyses.