If sea level has risen by 20 cm over the past century on the coast of North America, by how much do you think it has risen over the past century on the coast of India? Explain.
To estimate how much sea level has risen over the past century on the coast of India, we need to consider various factors that can affect sea-level change globally. One of the most influential factors is the global average temperature, which drives the melting of glaciers and ice caps, leading to an increase in sea level.
To estimate the sea-level rise on the coast of India, we can consider the following steps:
1. Research scientific studies: Begin by searching for scientific research papers or reports that specifically mention sea-level rise on the coast of India. Researchers and climate scientists often monitor and study sea-level rise trends globally, including regional variations.
2. Analyze local tide gauge data: Tide gauges are instruments that measure the height of the sea surface relative to a fixed reference point. They provide long-term data on sea-level changes. Look for tide gauge data from coastal areas in India to determine if there have been any noticeable long-term trends.
3. Consult climate change projections: Climate models are used to simulate past and future changes in the Earth's climate system. They can be valuable tools to estimate sea-level rise regionally. Check out climate change projections that specifically focus on the Indian subcontinent to see if they provide estimates for sea-level rise along the Indian coast.
4. Consider regional factors: Sea-level rise can vary regionally due to various factors such as tectonic activity, local geology, and oceanic circulation patterns. These factors can cause slight variations in sea-level rise along different coastlines. Therefore, it's important to consider any unique regional factors that may affect sea-level change in India.
By following these steps and conducting a comprehensive analysis of available data and scientific studies, it will be possible to estimate the sea-level rise on the coast of India over the past century. Keep in mind that this estimation may involve some level of uncertainty due to the complexity of the factors involved and the availability of data.