A new research paper was released by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who is owned by NASA and managed by California Institute of Technology. In it they illustrate some compelling evidence of climate change. Since the early 1970’s the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been studying the world’s oceans from space with the use of sophisticated satellites. This was a revolutionary idea in the mid-20th century that came into fruition in part because of the ever-growing interest and awareness in how humanity was impacting our planet. As should be no shock to anyone this led to great discoveries over the years and in single instances stunned the world with discovery. In time new satellites were launched and old ones were retired, but all that data accumulated.

With 95% accuracy and a significant change we have seen a .5mm/yr or roughly .02 inchs/yr.

The oceans themselves absorb a lot of heat as much as 90%.

It can maybe be slowed and possibly stopped if humanity acts now.

This is not the first paper by them and it’ll most likely not be the last. But what stands out in the paper is that they stand back from the single instances and look at the big picture over 50 years and not just a single snap shot. Often people like to say data is manipulated or too limited. However, here we have fifty years of data that illustrates a grim reality. With 95% accuracy and a significant change there have been a .5mm/yr or roughly .02 inchs/yr change in sea level. While this should be alarming in itself, it is projected to accelerate by approximately 1 mm every year every decade or roughly .04 inches. This a trend that will impact coast nations all around the world and strike island countries particularly hard. Many of these countries are not prepared to handle the evacuations of that many people.

Unsurprisingly as the sea level rises so do the temperatures of the ocean. There is a correlation between the two. The oceans themselves absorb a lot of heat, with as much as 90% being estimated. They are also very good at absorbing many of the greenhouse gases that we release. This sink has in many ways protected the earth from greater changes. If it were not for the oceans the earth would be significantly warmer and all but unlivable for most life. Sea level itself is in many ways a direct result of warming waters as that contributes to melting ice. This in return creates a negative feedback loop. A feedback where warmer water melts more ice which in turn melts even more ice thus leading to drastic results. This has come at a great cost to life in the ocean and will no doubt impact life above the oceans on land.

This stunning research has illustrated that in 50 years we have made great discoveries and an ever growing awareness. To see all this data in one location truly illustrates the ever-growing changes to the environment and the climate. It demonstrates the importance of technology. There is a need to invest and continue to invest in discoveries. These satellites have illustrated changes to ice, climate, and our oceans over the last 50 years. Many of these discoveries would not have been possible from the ground. But even more importantly and truly saddening is the further proof that the oceans are rising and they are rising quickly. The time to act is long gone as this cannot be reversed. But it can maybe be slowed and possibly stopped if humanity acts now.

Please Feel free to read the research below!

https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/AMSMONOGRAPHS-D-18-0010.1

Eric Siegel

B.S. Environmental Science