Mean Sea Level: Understanding This Important Term
Mean Sea Level refers to the average height of the sea’s surface over a specific location, recorded for all stages of the tide over 19 years. It is an important term that helps in measuring the coastal and sea-level changes over the long term. Mean Sea Level is calculated by tracking the tide level at all the locations where tidal observations are made for a considerable period of time.
Monitoring Mean Sea Level helps in understanding and predicting the changes occurring in the sea level, which, in turn, helps in planning coastal defenses, managing coastal inundation, and flood risk. It is also used in navigation and provides a baseline for measuring various physical and biogeochemical processes in the oceans.
Mean Sea Level is not a fixed constant. It varies from one location to another and changes over time due to various factors such as sea-level rise, subsidence, and tectonic movements. Climate changes, such as global warming, also contribute to the change in sea level.
Thus, Mean Sea Level is an essential tool for studying and forecasting the changes occurring in the sea level, which has a significant impact on the natural and human-made environment.
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