Open AccessSea Level and the Southern Oscillation
Author(s) -
Fairbridge Rhodes W.,
Krebs Oswald A.
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1962.tb02999.x
Subject(s) - tide gauge , geology , anomaly (physics) , sea level , climatology , amplitude , residual , pacific decadal oscillation , geodesy , oscillation (cell signaling) , equator , oceanography , sea surface temperature , latitude , physics , biology , genetics , algorithm , quantum mechanics , computer science , condensed matter physics
Summary An average curve for the world annual mean sea level for the century 186‐1960 has been obtained from a carefully selected world series of tide gauge records. We have eliminated data from tectonically unstable areas and other obviously anomalous records. Five‐year running means provide us with a residual curve that may approach a eustatic standard (probably glacio‐eustatic). The lowest point of sea level was about 1890; the mean rise from 1900‐1950 was 1‐2 mm annually, but the fastest decade was 1946‐1956 with 55mm. The pattern varies somewhat if plotted ocean by ocean. The non‐smoothed, annual curve shows a 2‐3 year cyclicity of 10‐30mm amplitude. For the world curve this periodicity resembles the 2‐3 year atmospheric pressure cycle known as the “Southern Oscillation”, being in phase with the S. E. Pacific node. The reciprocal, Indian Ocean node is well reflected in the Indian Ocean, and periodically dominates over the Pacific pattern in the Atlantic Ocean. When the effect of a pressure anomaly of I mb is taken as equivalent to 10mm departure of sea level, it is found that that is still a large residual generally in the same phase. It would seem that steric effects and associated wind systems are mainly responsible.