According to satellite observations that during this time the global ocean level increased by 0.23 inches, which significantly exceeded the predicted 0.17 inches. Scientists noted that this rate of increase was not expected even by experts.
Josh Willis, a researcher from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said that annual fluctuations in sea level are normal, but the overall trend of accelerating rise is increasingly evident.
He said this is mainly due to the thermal expansion of water as ocean masses warm, which accounted for two-thirds of the total rise in levels last year. Another third was taken up by the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, Pravda.Ru writes.
Nadia Vinogradova Schiffer, who heads the program of physical oceanography NASA, said that last year was broken the record for the temperature of the oceans for the last 30 years. The expert also noted the influence of the El Niño phenomenon, which contributes to the vertical movement of heat in the water layers, which increases the effect of thermal expansion.
After analyzing data since 1993, it became known that sea level rise has more than doubled its speed during that time. Over 30 years of observations, the water level has risen by at least 10 centimeters.
Scientists believe that this occurred due to anthropogenic climate change, due to which there is both heating of water and intensive melting of glaciers.
Also, scientists believe that Hawaii will disappear in the coming decades.