Monitoring absolute vertical land motions and absolute sea-level changes from GPS and tide gauges data over French Polynesia

In this study,we estimate the absolute vertical land motions at three tidal stations with collocated Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)receivers over French Polynesia during the period 2007-2020,and obtain,as ancillary results,estimates of the absolute changes in sea level at the same locations.To verify our processing approach to determining vertical motion,we first modeled vertical motion at the International GNSS Service(IGS)THTI station located in the capital island of Tahiti and compared our estimate with previous independent determinations,with a good agreement.We obtained the following estimates for the vertical land motions at the tide gauges:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago-0.92±0.17 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:-0.49±0.39 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago-0.43±0.17 mm/yr.The absolute variations of the sea level are:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago 5.25±0.60 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:3.62±0.52 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago 1.52±0.23 mm/yr.We discuss these absolute values in light of the values obtained from altimetric measurements and other means in French Polynesia.

Nontidal sea level changes in Hiroshima Bay,Japan

Nontidal sea level changes generated in Hiroshima Bay of the Seto-Inland Sea in Japan are studied over various time scales, from the sub-tidal （2 d to 1 month） to inter-annual scales （〉2 years）. The total sea level variation produces a standard deviation （STD） of 12.5 cm. The inter-annual component of the sea level variation in Hiroshima Bay oscillates with a STD of 3.4 cm, forming a long-term trend of 4.9 mm/a. The STD of the sea level variation is 9.8 cm for the seasonal component （8 months to 2 years） and 4.7 cm for the intra-seasonal one （1 month to 8 months）. Significant sea level variations with a STD of 4.2 cm also occur in the sub-tidal range. Special attention is paid to the sub-tidal sea level changes. It is found that the upwelling and associated transient sea level changes generated along the north coast of Hiroshima Bay （opened southward） by the strong northerly wind, play a significant role in sub-tidal sea level changes. The transient sea level changes are over 10 cm in most cases when caused by typhoons that pass through the Pacific Ocean offthe Kii Peninsula, located at about 400 km east of Hiroshima Bay. Reasonable sea level changes are evaluated by the balance of pressure forces at the onshore and offshore boundary of the study domain.

Holocene sea level changes and coastline snitts in Zhejiang Province, China

In the present paper, the Holocene sea level changes and coastline shifts in Zhejiang, China are discussed, based on the ancient coastline evidence related with sea level changes and 21 14C dat-ings of shell, peat or mud and wood samples along the Zhejiang coast. The development of Zhejiang coastline during the Holocene period can be divided into four stages. A lot of data of historical period and modern times have shown that tracing coastline shifts back to its source, we have to consider tremendous effects of man's activities besides natural factors, such as elevation and subsidence of the earth crust, sea level changes, supply of sediment, and littoral hydrodynamics.

Rates of Sea Level Changes—A Clarifying Note

The values of present to future rates in sea level changes vary in an almost chaotic way. In view of the urgent need to handle this question in a constructive way, we must anchor the issue in observational facts, physical laws and long-term scientific experience. Doing so, we can put a solid ultimate frame of any possible rise in sea level in the next centuries: viz. 10.0 mm/yr or 1.0 m per century. If this is the ultimate possible rate, the expected rate in the 21st century must be far less. The author’s proposition is +5 cm ± 15 cm by year 2100.

The influence of water level changes on sand bodies at river-dominated delta fronts:The Gubei Sag,Bohai Bay Basin

Changes in water level are one of the important factors controlling the constructive characteristics of deltas.The paper studies the influence of water level changes on sand bodies in the third member of the Shahejie Formation(Es3)on the gentle southern slope of the Gubei Sag,Bohai Bay Basin and draw some conclusions that,for complex sand bodies,with the increase in water level the distributary channels bifurcate frequently,from a simple branching shape to a network shape along with the increase in the development of crevasse splays,mouth bars and sheet sands.For single sand bodies,with an increase in water level in the slope zone of the lake basin close to the source area,the superimposition style transitioned from vertical cutting-stacking and lateral isolation to vertical stitching,isolation and lateral stitching.However,in the central zone of the lake basin far from the source area,the superimposition style transitioned from vertical stitching and lateral stitching to vertical isolation and lateral isolation.When water level stays stable,the greater the distance from the source area the greater the disaggregation ratio of a single sand body.At the same distance from the source area,higher water level tends to result in greater disaggregation ratio of a single sand body.

Analysis of sea level changes in the Caspian Sea related to Cosmo-geophysical processes based on satellite and terrestrial data

Analysis results of the average annual sea levels in the Caspian Sea obtained from ground and satellite observations, corresponding to solar activity characteristics, magnetic field data, and length of day are presented. Spectra of the indicated processes were investigated and their approximation models were also built. Previously assumed statistical relationships between space-geophysical processes and Caspian Sea level(CSL) changes were confirmed. A close connection was revealed between the low-frequency models of the solar and geomagnetic activity parameters and the CSL changes. Predictions extending into the next decades showed a high probability of an increase in the CSL and a decrease of the compared space-geophysical parameters.

Late Permian-Middle Triassic Sea Level Changes of Yangtze Platform

This paper first introduces procedures leading to the establishment of Late Permian-Middle Triassic sea level change curve of Yangtze platform. Bathymetric curves extracted from curve of habitat types are first transformed to sea level curves stage by stage. Comparison between curves of Yangtze and the world reveals that because the Late Permian marine sequences are lacking in most parts of the world, the Late Permian to Griesbachian curve of Yangtze may serve as an important reference for further revision of the world curve. The Early-Middle Triassic short-term changes of Yangtze are briefly concordant with those of Haq's world curve, whereas their long-term changes are discordant. The latter, however, is representative of the East Asian regions affected by the Indosinian orogeny. Basically the third cycles of Yangtze and the world are only pertly concordant, and even in concordant cases their concrete boundaries are not coincident. This indicater that sea level changes are not strictly synchronous over the world. It seems that the 1st and 2nd cycles (supercycles and megacycles) may be world-wide, but not the 3rd cycles.

Late Quaternary diatom and sea level changes in estuarine plain of the Jiulong River

Four units and twenty-four zones of diatom have been discerned in the Borehole ZK5 in the estuarine plain of the Jiulong River, Fujian Province. Comprehensive analysis of these, together with microbiological assemblages and age determinations in some other boreholes, shows that during the Late Wurm Glacial, sea level of the study area rose and fell frequently, but had principally been in the environments of estuary-bay. This mainly resulted from the tectonic subouction. In this period 3 low sea levels occurred. at 18, 16 and 12 kaBP respectively. During Holocene, sea weter intruded massively and the sea level over the transgnaion maximum had been 5-10 m higher than that of the present.

Evaluation of vertical crustal movements and sea level changes around Greenland from GPS and tide gauge observations

To better monitor the vertical crustal movements and sea level changes around Greenland,multiple data sources were used in this paper,including global positioning system(GPS),tide gauge,satellite gravimetry,satellite altimetry,glacial isostatic adjustment(GIA).First,the observations of more than 50 GPS stations from the international GNSS service(IGS)and Greenland network(GNET)in 2007–2018 were processed and the common mode error(CME)was eliminated with using the principal component analysis(PCA).The results show that all GPS stations show an uplift trend and the stations in southern Greenland have a higher vertical speed.Second,by deducting the influence of GIA,the impact of current Gr IS mass changes on GPS stations was analysed,and the GIA-corrected vertical velocity of the GPS is in good agreement with the vertical velocity obtained by gravity recovery and climate experiment(GRACE).Third,the absolute sea level change around Greenland at 4 gauge stations was obtained by combining relative sea level derived from tide gauge observations and crustal uplift rates derived from GPS observations,and was validated by sea level products of satellite altimetry.The results show that although the mass loss of Gr IS can cause considerable global sea level rise,eustatic movements along the coasts of Greenland are quite complex under different mechanisms of sea level changes.

Sea-level changes controlled detrital sediment inputs to the Bicol Shelf in the western Philippine Sea since 150 ka

Detrital sediments derived from the Philippine Islands are one of the main sources of deep-sea sediments in the western Philippine Sea.However,systematic research on their characteristics and transport mechanisms are lacking.We used parametric end-member analysis to quantitatively partition the grain size of detrital sediments in core MD06-3052 from the Bicol Shelf in the western Philippine Sea;three endmembers EMI,EM2,and EM3,whose respective modes were at 2,10,and 45 μm,were separated.We also measured the Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of different size fractions(<4 and >20 μm) of the detrital sediments and the results showed that the detrital sediments mainly originate from the Philippine Islands.Components EMI and EM2 are transported to the Bicol Shelf mainly by surface and bottom currents from the islands,and component EM3 is delivered by gravity flow from the exposed shelf during low sea-level stands.The content of the total detrital fraction and the three end-members,as well as the mass accumulation rates(MARs) of the coarse detritus(EM2 and EM3),were considerably higher during glacial periods(40-14 ka and 150-130 ka) than during other intervals;the glacials corresponded to a low sea level,while the MAR of the fine detritus(EMI) did not increase remarkably during 40-14 ka.We therefore concluded that the input of coarse detritus to the Bicol Shelf from the islands was mainly controlled by sea-level change.Variations of the input of fine-grained detritus(EM1) was influenced not only by sea level but also by ocean currents and regional precipitation.Overall,our results help understand "source-to-sink" processes in the western Pacific marginal seas and their response to global change.

Early Ordovician Sea Level Changes in South China and Their Worldwide Correlation

The sea level changes and their correlation from the latest Cambrian C. proavus zone to the Ordovician N. gracilis zone in South China are discussed on the basis of the Ordovician paleogeographic reconstruction in China. The study of sequence, biostratigraphy and ecostratigraphy suggests that at least 8 major regressive events, occurring in the following levels: basal H. simplex zone (RE1), near the base of C. intermedius zone (RE2), basal C. angulatus zone (RE3), near Mid/Upper G. quadriplicatus zone (RE4) and succeeding the first phase (RE4a) of RE4 at basal P. deltifer zone, Kiaerograptus/Brygograptus zonal boundary (RE5), end S.diversus-P.proteus A. Z.(RE6), end P. originalis zone (RE7) and Early H. teretiusculus or end P. serra zone (RE8), can be recognized in the cratonic plat- form and its shelf-slope tracts of the South China plate based on sequence change or disconformity and associated breaks in biological succession. Most of them can be traced in the other plates or continents.

Mean Sea Level Changes near Weizhou Island from 1969 to 2010

Tidal data from Weizhou, Zhapo, and Shanwei stations between 1969 and 2010 and from five gauging stations in the western Pacific Ocean provided by PSMSL, and the global mean sea level data recorded between December 1992 and December 2010 by TOPEX and Jason satellites were compiled and analyzed. The results show that the perennial mean sea level near Weizhou Island is 211.7 cm(relative to the water gauge zero), and the relative mean sea level rising rate is 2.2 mm yr-1 from 1969 to 2010, which is consistent with the relative mean sea level rising rate recorded at other gauging stations in the western Pacific regions and with the global mean sea level rising rate. The absolute mean sea level rising rate at Weizhou Island is 3.0 mm yr-1 from 1993 to 2010, also conforming with the global mean sea level rising rate(3.1±0.4 mm yr-1) during the same time period. The highest annual tide level at Weizhou Island has a rising rate of 4.6 mm yr-1 and shows a 20-year quasi-periodic variation from 1966 to 2010. The primary cause of the mean sea level rising is global warming.

Organic Carbon Deposition on the Inner Shelf of the East China Sea Constrained by Sea Level and Climatic Changes Since the Last Deglaciation

The East China Sea(ECS),which is located in the transitional zone between land and ocean,is the main site for the burial of sedimentary organic carbon.Despite good constraints of the modern source to the sinking process of organic carbon,its fate in response to changes in climate and sea level since the last deglaciation remains poorly understood.We aim to fill this gap by presenting a high-resolution sedimentary record of core EC2005 to derive a better understanding of the evolution of the depositional environment and its control on the organic deposition since 17.3 kyr.Our results suggest that sedimentary organic carbon was deposited in a terrestrial environment before the seawater reached the study area around 13.1 kyr.This significant transition from a terrestrial environment to a marine environment is reflected by the decrease in TOC/TN and TOC/TS ratios,which is attributed to deglacial sea level rise.The sea level continued to rise until it reached its highstand at approximately 7.3 kyr when the mud depocenter was developed.Our results further indicate that the deposition of the sedimentary organic carbon could respond quickly to abrupt cold events,including the Heinrich stadial 1 and the Younger Dryas during the last deglaciation,as well as‘Bond events'during the Holocene.We propose that the rapid response of the organic deposition to those cold events in the northern hemisphere is linked to the East Asian winter monsoon.These new findings demonstrate that organic carbon deposition and burial on the inner shelf could effectively document sea level and climatic changes.

Impacts of artificial dams on terrestrial water storage changes and the Earth's elastic load response during 1950-2016: A case study of medium and large reservoirs in Chinese mainland

The construction of dams for intercepting and storing water has altered surface water distributions, landsea water exchanges, and the load response of the solid Earth. The lack of accurate estimation of reservoir properties through the land surface and hydrological models can lead to water storage simulation and extraction errors. This impact is particularly evident in many artificial reservoirs in China. The study aims to comprehensively assess the spatiotemporal distribution and trends of water storage in medium and large reservoirs(MLRs) in Chinese mainland during 1950-2016, and to investigate the gravity,displacement, and strain effects induced by the reservoir mass concentration using the load elasticity theory. In addition, the impoundment contributions of MLRs to the relative sea level changes were assessed using a sea-level equation. The results show impoundment increases in the MLRs during1950-2016, particularly in the Yangtze River(Changjiang) and southern basins, causing significant elastic load effects in the surrounding areas of the reservoirs and increasing the relative sea level in China's offshore. However, long-term groundwater estimation trends are overestimated and underestimated in the Yangtze River and southwestern basins, respectively, due to the neglect of the MLRs impacts or the uncertainty of the hydrological model's output(e.g., soil moisture, etc.). The construction of MLRs may reduce the water mass input from land to the ocean, thus slowing global sea level rise. The results of the impact of human activities on the regional water cycle provide important references and data support for improving the integration of hydrological models, evaluating Earth's viscoelastic responses under longterm reservoir storage, enhancing in-situ and satellite geodetic measurements, and identifying the main factors driving sea level changes.

Lake Level Changes Recorded by Tree Rings of Lakeshore Shrubs： A Case Study at the Lake West-Juyan, Inner Mongolia, China

Variation in water resources is a main factor influencing ecohydrological processes and sustainable development in arid regions. Lake level changes are a useful indicator of the variability in water resources. However, observational records of changes in lake levels are usually too short to give an understanding of the long-term variability. In the present study, we investigated the tree rings of shrubs growing on the lakeshore of Lake West-Juyan, the terminus of the Heihe River in western China, and found that Lake West-Juyan had undergone degradation three times over the past 200 years. The lake level decreased from 904.3 to 896.8 m above sea level （a.s.1.） during the period 1800-1900, to 892.0 m a.s.1, from around 1900 to the late 1950s, and the lake dried out in 1963. The trend for changes in lake levels, which was represented by the composite chronology of three beach bars, showed that the phases of increasing lake levels over the past 150 years were during the periods 1852-1871, 1932-1952, 1973-1982, and 1995-1999. Comparison with the history of regional economic development showed that human activity has played an important role in regulating the water resources of the lower reaches of the Heihe watershed over the past 200 years.

Relationship Between Changes of River-lake Networks and Water Levels in Typical Regions of Taihu Lake Basin,China

The typical regions of the Taihu Lake Basin,China,were selected to analyze the variation characteristics of river-lake networks under intensive human activities.The characteristics of the fractal dimension of river networks and lakes for different periods were investigated and the influences of river system evolution on water level changes were further explored through the comparison of their fractal characters.The results are as follows:1) River network development of the study area is becoming more monotonous and more simple;the number of lakes is reducing significantly,and the water surface ratio has dropped significantly since the 1980s.2) The box dimension of the river networks in all the cities of the study area decreased slowly from the 1960s to the 1980s,while the decrease was significant from the 1980s to the 2000s.The variations of lake correlation dimension are similar to those of the river network box dimensions.This is unfavorable for the storage capacity of the river networks and lakes.3) The Hurst exponents of water levels were all between 0.5 and 1.0 from the 1960s to the 1980s,while decreased in the 2000s,indicating the decline in persistence and increase in the complexity of water level series.The paper draws a conclusion that the relationship between the fractal dimension of river-lake networks and the Hurst exponents of the water level series can reveal the impacts of river system changes on flood disasters to some extent:the disappearance of river networks and lakes will increase the possibility of flood occurrence.

Spatial and temporal distribution of Neolithic sites in coastal China:Sea level changes, geomorphic evolution and human adaption

The East China coastal plain is one of the most important Neolithic culture areas in China, where rich archaeological sites including those producing the earliest domesticated rice are observed. It is also a place where landscape has experienced dramatic evolution during the Holocene when both sea level and climate changed, such that it is an ideal place for studying human-environment interaction. This study investigated over 2000 sites of pre-history and Shang and Zhou Dynasties, with 655 of which being Neolithic ages, by using DEM and GIS methods. The results suggest that the spatial and temporal distribution of Neolithic sites has largely been controlled by landscape evolution(particularly changes in coastal line), which ultimately governed by sea level changes. During early Holocene, Neolithic sites sparsely distributed in the intermountain basins of east Zhejiang Province, far from the influence of ocean. Over the period of 9–7 ka, the coastal plain(including the shelf) was largely submerged,only the feet of low hills to the south and southwest of the study area, and islands protruding the estuary, cradled limited number of settlements with characteristic "maritime components". At about 7 ka, sea level rise decelerated prominently, while sediments supply in the drainage remained high value, the combination of which led to land formation and propagation. Vast space during this period facilitated the growth of settlements in both size and number. In the mean time, however, the coastal plain was vulnerable to extreme environmental events such as storms and flooding owning to its geomorphic nature, which exerted great influence on the rise and fall of Neolithic culture.

Triassic Sequence Stratigraphy and Sea-Level Changes in Qomolongma Area, Southern Tibet, China: From Epicontinental Sea to Rift Basin

The Triassic in the Qomolongma area, southern Tibet, was deposited under an extensional tectonic setting from the Pangea supercontinent to continental rifting. From the Induan to Rhaetian, 12 depositional sequences (3rd order) have been recognized, which can be grouped into 5 sequence sets and in turn make up a well defined mesosequence (2nd order). Among the recognized marine transgressions, those at 250 Ma, 239 Ma, 231 Ma and 223 Ma respectively are particularly of significance and can be correlated widely across continents. The study shows that in Triassic the Qomolongma area experienced a sedimentary evolution from epicontinental sea to rift basin with the turning point at ca 228 Ma. During the early and middle epochs, the area was under epeiric sea, with carbonate ramp to mixed shoal environments predominant. In the late Carnian, the strong extension initiated listric faulting, thus resulting in rapid basement subsidence and the onset of a rift basin. From the late Norian to Rhaetian, it manifested as a rapid basin filling process in the area. Coupled with long term sea level fall, the excessive terrigenous influx led to the shift of environment from deep water prodelta to shore and finally to fluvial plain.

Tertiary Sea Level Changes and Sequence Stratigraphic Framework in East China Sea Shelf Basin

The East China Sea shelf basin is a key area for setting up the sea level changes of Cenozoic in the West Pacific. Based upon the characteristics of seismic reflection, the analysis of sequence stratigraphy and depositional system, the high resolution chronostratigraphic framework has been set up by using the data of micropaleontologic biozone fossils. The relative sea level change curve has been set up by combining analysis of paleoecology, genetic facies, specific sedimentary structures and on lap recognized from the seismic profiles with study of geochemical characteristics. There are 4 2nd order basin cycles showing the long term sea level changes, and 22 3rd order cycles showing short term ones with relative changing ranges of 0-150 m. Transgression and regression showing long term sea level changes bear asymmetric feature, which indicates that the speed of transgression is faster than that of regression. There are a lot of differences when compared with Haq ’s curve. The sequence stratigraphic framework has also been set up and 3 tectonic sequences, 7 supersequences and 19 sequences have been subdivided for Tertiary in the East China Sea shelf basin. On the basis of detailed analysis of genetic facies and log facies, 9 sedimentary systems, 20 depositional assemblages and many genetic facies have also been recognized and investigated. Based on the studies mentioned above, the favorable source and reservoir facies of gas and petroleum are indicated.

Permian and Triassic Sequence Stratigraphy and Sea Level Changes of Eastern Yangtze Platform

The Permian and marine Triassic of eastern Yangtze platform, situated in eastern China, involve 19 orthosequences lasting about 2.7 Ma on average, which can be combined into five orthosequence sets ranging from 8 Ma to 12 Ma. Affected by the regional Dongwu and Indosinian movements, the sequence stratigraphic pattern and sea level changes in the Permian and Triassic of this region are distinctive and obviously different from most other regions in the world, but typical in the broad eastern Tethys and its neighboring areas. In this region not only did the continuous marine Permian and Triassic boundary sequences cause the orthosequence crossing the boundary belonging to type Ⅱ sequence but also the mesosequence including these stratigraphic intervals had its basal boundary in the upper Longlinian (Artinskian) (ca. 278 Ma), that is, the traditional Carboniferous and Permian boundary, and its top boundary moved from the Permian and Triassic boundary upward into the Anisian of Middle Triassic.