Glossary
The English version of our glossary is currently under construction and will be regularly updated.
Sea-level change
The height of the ocean’s surface. It approximates an equipotential surface of the Earth’s gravitational field. When it changes, it is referred to as sea-level change.
The height of the ocean’s surface. It approximates an equipotential surface of the Earth’s gravitational field (a surface with uniform potential energy). The sea level can change both globally and locally, in response to (a) changes in the form of the ocean basin, (b) changes in the total water mass, or (c) changes in the water’s density. Sea-level changes due to changes in water density are referred to as “steric” changes. Density changes due to temperature changes are “thermosteric”, whereas density changes due to salinity changes are “halosteric”.