A reconstruction of satellite readings over an 18 year period showing sea level changes in unprecedented detail will be unveiled in Venice on 24 September when over 500 international specialists will meet at an international conference on 20 years of Radar Altimetry, organised by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French Space Agency (CNES).
The data, coming from radar altimeters on-board European and US satellites since 1992, confirm that global sea level is rising about 3 mm every year. Their exceptional quality allows scientists to measure regional sea-level variations around the globe. Increases of sea level by as much as 10 mm each year are seen in areas such as the Philippine Sea. Decreases of 10 mm per year have been detected in some areas.
Version 1 of the Sea Level ECV products over an 18 year time period, from Jan 1993 to October 2010, is now complete. The ‘Sea Level’ ECV is a multi-satellite merged product that consists of: