Module 4 discussed sea level rise is the short term, seasonal, and long term.  Many coastal areas prepare for coastal hazards in terms of hurricanes, tides, and storm surges.  However, planning for long term sea level rise can be more challenging and unpredictable.  Some regions will experience greater impacts from sea level rise than others.  The module even indicated that some regions are currently experiencing lower sea levels due to rising coastal cliffs, however many sandy beaches that we enjoy recreationally may be at the highest risk.

An article in the New York Times titled “Three Long Views of Life with Rising Seas” discusses that many coastal areas are “living on borrowed time” and how humans are reacting and adapting to sea level rise.  Many are aware due to coastal hazards and news articles that places such as Venice, New Orleans, and North Carolina are facing difficulties due to sea level rise.  However, most don’t consider other coastal regions that may not be impacted in the short term, but will inevitably succumb to rising seas in the long term.  The article highlighted how humans in different locations are reacting to sea level rise.  In New Jersey, the city is rebuilding its infrastructure on the shore, which is probably not ideal when looking at future sea level rise.  North Carolina has actually had officials instruct coast planners not to account for future sea level rise.  Other places are actively preparing now for sea level rise in the future, New York and The Netherlands are among two that are taking sea level rise seriously.  This article made me think of all the coastal places in the U.S. I have visited and enjoyed recreationally, and though perhaps some may not be a big risk now, they will probably disappear in the distant future if we do not find solutions to rising temperatures.  The article highlighted that for many coastal regions the change will be slow and gradual, making the local communities not take it as seriously as abrupt changes.

References:

Revkin, A. (2014, May 14). Three Long Views of Life with Rising Seas. Retrieved August 04, 2016, from http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/three-long-views-of-life-with-rising-seas/?_r=0

 

In this module it was interesting to touch on the Jason – 2 satellite used by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to measure sea surface water heights.  I had not previously heard of this particular satellite program and did not realize that NOAA had there own satellite equipment orbiting the earth.  In researching further, it seems there are actually four different organizations that have come together for this project.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), France’s Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), and European Meteorological Satellite Organisation (EUMETSAT) have all come together to assist NOAA with their need for ocean surface height modeling.

Jason – 2 was launched on June 20, 2008 and as early as December of that same year scientists the world over were able to begin accessing the valuable data sets.  Jason- 2 orbits the earths surface every 10 days accumulating surface height data internationally in all of the world’s ice free oceans.  The satellite gathers data for not only surface height but also for sea level rise/fall and ocean circulation patterns.  Jason – 2 is packed with altimeters as well to measure ocean heat and help forecasters to assist in predictions of tropical weather intensity and El -Nino/Nina weather patterns.

Just recently, in January 2016, Jason – 3 was launched at a cost of approximately $177 million, to continue the efforts of earlier versions of Jason in measuring and observing ocean surface topography.  Sometime in mid 2020, NOAA and participating organizations plan to launch a new version, Jason CS, which will have a longer life cycle and improved altimeter and radiometer to continue in the efforts to collect and analyze oceanic topography  and conditions in order to further study climate change.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081216_jason2.html

http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/jason-3/mission.html

https://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jason3/

 

 

As I was researching topics for this week’s blog, I came across a topic that is quite interesting — the effects of and contributions to climate change of the Congo River.

When thinking about this topic, it may seem counterintuitive for those of us with little geology/climate science background to conceive of the fact that a river can be a major contributor to climate change, however, this is what I have found in my research this week.

I’ll start by discussing some of the major detriments to the Congo River that are caused by climate change. Environmental degradation and exploitation of natural resources has been detrimental to the vitality of the Congo and the communities that depend on it. According to one source, “The [Congo] river basin is home to the second largest tropical rainforest which triggers 75 to 95% of the rainfall generated in the region through a massive movement of water vapor. These trees represent a carbon sink 20 to 50 times larger than land put to agricultural use” (Rosen, 2013).

As trees are removed, there is a net increase in atmospheric CO2 and a reduction in rainfall, similar to that which was seen in Amazonia and Indonesia, which have recently been plagued by drought. This could affect the volume of water in the river basin, as well as creating the potential for flooding, as forest root systems are necessary for retaining rainwater supplies to prevent flooding.

Perhaps counterintuitively, the Congo River also contributes to climate change by emitting high levels of methane and carbon dioxide (as was mentioned before). The contemporary effects of climate change and contributions to climate change of the Congo River lead me to wonder how these trends will change in the future, as the populations living around the river grow. Specifically, the demands of agriculture, which will likely become increasingly intensive, are likely to be very influential in determining the ecological well-being of both the Congo River and those that depend on it for sustenance.

I am constantly amazed at the intricate and dynamic climate, biological, and other systems involved in determining coastal vitality. We are constantly pressuring our environment in many different ways, but it seems that, notwithstanding human influence, geological and water systems on earth are resilient and robust. In spite of this resilience, I believe it is important for humans to recognize our incredible dependence on the hydrosphere and protect it so that the world’s coastal regions, in addition to our own species, are able to thrive for generations.

 

References:

Climate Change and Its Impact on our World’s Rivers – Africa – Part Two

http://research.amnh.org/vz/ichthyology/congo/index_02.html

While reading through module 4 I found the measurement of sea level changes to be particularly interesting. The concept of tide gauges and instruments that allow scientists to learn about the tidal patterns of the ocean was especially interesting. Also, I had had not thought of the possibilities of satellites for the purposes of measuring sea level changes. When we can combine data from multiple locations at the same time using satellites it gives us the ability to compare the changes between bodies of water in real time. For this module I found an article that had to do with the usage of satellites for the purpose of monitoring ocean levels and similar oceanic activity. The article I selected comes from NASA which is a particularly close source being that I’m from Houston, Texas. Titled “NASA, University Study Shows Rising Seas Slowed by Increasing Water on Land”, the passage describes the usage of satellites to observe the global changes in precipitation over all land masses. One interesting fact that I learned from this article is that the 2002 launch of NASA’s twin ‘GRACE’ satellites provided the first tools to quantify land liquid water storage trends. This technology also enables the agricultural regulatory commissions of the world more accurate data to limit or increase the use of specific irrigation methods to help keep the water level at an ideal range.

The contents of this article changes my original thoughts on how the human race uses water for agricultural purposes. In essence, we have to be smarter about how our water consumption and usage has an effect on the environment. I hope to continue learning about how advancements in space orbit technology will allow us to learn more about earth’s oceanic environment.

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-university-study-shows-rising-seas-slowed-by-increasing-water-on-land

While reading through module 4 I found the measurement of sea level changes to be particularly interesting. The concept of tide gauges and instruments that allow scientists to learn about the tidal patterns of the ocean was especially interesting. Also, I had had not thought of the possibilities of satellites for the purposes of measuring sea level changes. When we can combine data from multiple locations at the same time using satellites it gives us the ability to compare the changes between bodies of water in real time. For this module I found an article that had to do with the usage of satellites for the purpose of monitoring ocean levels and similar oceanic activity. The article I selected comes from NASA which is a particularly close source being that I’m from Houston, Texas. Titled “NASA, University Study Shows Rising Seas Slowed by Increasing Water on Land”, the passage describes the usage of satellites to observe the global changes in precipitation over all land masses. One interesting fact that I learned from this article is that the 2002 launch of NASA’s twin ‘GRACE’ satellites provided the first tools to quantify land liquid water storage trends. This technology also enables the agricultural regulatory commissions of the world more accurate data to limit or increase the use of specific irrigation methods to help keep the water level at an ideal range.

The contents of this article changes my original thoughts on how the human race uses water for agricultural purposes. In essence, we have to be smarter about how our water consumption and usage has an effect on the environment. I hope to continue learning about how advancements in space orbit technology will allow us to learn more about earth’s oceanic environment.

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-university-study-shows-rising-seas-slowed-by-increasing-water-on-land

Reading this weeks lesson and learning about sudden sea level change, it got me thinking about the strong tropical storm hitting our East Coast, tropical storm Colin. Sudden sea level change can be attributed too major storms or other factors that are not normal.  I found a New York Times article about storm Colin and how its is flooding our costal region of Florida. The article says that with the combination of storm surges and high tides, can cause flooding even before the storm is expected to hit land. As I was reading the article, I felt bad for the people who live in Florida who have to deal with such a hard storm. The storm forecast said that as much as 8 inches of rain is to hit parts of the state. Florida governor has declared a state of emergency in 34 of the states 67 counties. In St. Petersburg beach town, roads were already flooded, and more than 20,000 customers were without power even before the storm made landfall. The article also said that tropical storm Colin is threatening Florida’s citrus crops. Florida is the biggest citrus producer.

After reading how bad this storm is and how detrimental it is going to be on Florida’s crops, made me feel really bad. I cant even imagine how the people of Florida are going to bounce back from this horrible storm. The storm hasn’t even hit land yet when this article was written, and it caused so much damage already. This storm is already bad, and it will continue to go up the coast hitting the Carolina’s.  By reading this weeks lesson and past weeks, I know the effects of sea level change and how hard it is for residents to bounce back. The coasts will not look the same, and people’s houses could be washed away or severely damaged.

Reuters. (2016, June 6). Tropical Storm Colin Gains Speed, Barrels Toward Florida. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/06/06/us/06reuters-storm-colin.html