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Monday 27 August 2018

British Isles relative sea-level map



This is slightly off-topic, but worth sharing.  A beautiful map from Prof Ian Shennan and colleagues (Ian was in the Durham Univ Geography Dept when I was there, and he is still there).

The map shows current relative sea-level changes in the British Isles -- the result of a vast data collection exercise.  Note that in the north the land is rising slowly relative to the sea, and in the south it is sinking.  There are three basic factors:  glacio-isostatic adjustments still going on following the melting of the last ice sheet; crustal deformation as a result of tectonic forces; and the eustatic sea-level rise connected to global warming.

Main message:  if you live in the south of Ireland or the UK, you have a vested interest in stopping the rise of global temperatures.  Secondary message: if you are thinking about investing in some coastal real estate in the Isles of Scilly, think again.


PS. Sorry  -- should have given more details:

The units on the map are mm per year.  Minus symbol used for "sinking" areas.

https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=8805

https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.1532

Also:  Shennan, I., Bradley, S.L. & Edwards, R. Relative sea‐level changes and crustal movements in Britain and Ireland since the Last Glacial Maximum. Quaternary Science Reviews. 2018;188:143-159.

2 comments:

DJDR said...

Hi Brian,

Long time browser of your most interesting blog but my first time posting. What units are we talking here?

DJDR

BRIAN JOHN said...

Sorry about that -- mm per year! I have added a PS to the post.......