Sweden Sea Level

Sweden's Rising and Falling Seas: A Story of Land Uplift and Sea Level Change

Sweden's relationship with sea level is unique. Unlike many coastal nations primarily concerned with rising sea levels due to climate change, Sweden faces a more complex scenario: a combination of global sea level rise and ongoing post-glacial land uplift. This means that while the global sea level is increasing, parts of Sweden are actually experiencing a relative decrease in sea level due to the land rising faster than the sea. This article will explore the interplay of these forces and their impact on Sweden's coastline.

I. The Legacy of the Ice Age: Post-Glacial Rebound

The most significant factor shaping Sweden's sea level is post-glacial rebound (also known as isostatic rebound). During the last ice age, massive ice sheets covered Scandinavia, depressing the land beneath their immense weight. As the ice melted, starting around 10,000 years ago, the land began to slowly rebound, a process that continues today. Think of it like removing a heavy object from a mattress – the mattress (land) slowly springs back to its original shape. This uplift is most pronounced in northern Sweden, where the ice was thickest, and less noticeable in the south. The rate of uplift varies across the country; northern regions are rising at a rate of several millimeters per year, while southern Sweden experiences much slower uplift, potentially even less than the rate of global sea-level rise.

II. Global Sea Level Rise: The Unstoppable Tide

Simultaneously, the global sea level is rising due to thermal expansion of water (warmer water takes up more space) and melting glaciers and ice sheets. This rise is a consequence of human-induced climate change and is affecting coastlines worldwide. While the rate of global sea level rise is relatively small annually (currently around 3.6 mm per year), it is a continuous process, and its cumulative effect over decades and centuries will be significant. This rise counteracts the land uplift in southern Sweden and exacerbates the challenges of coastal erosion and flooding.

III. The Net Effect: A Regional Variation in Sea Level Change

The interplay between post-glacial rebound and global sea level rise creates a complex pattern of sea level change across Sweden. In northern Sweden, the land uplift significantly outweighs the global sea level rise, resulting in a relative fall in sea level. This means the coastline is effectively receding northward. Conversely, in southern Sweden, the rate of land uplift is slower than the rate of global sea level rise, leading to a relative rise in sea level, increasing the risk of coastal flooding and erosion. This means that the relative sea level change varies dramatically across the country, influencing coastal management strategies accordingly. For example, coastal defenses are more crucial in southern Sweden than in the north.

IV. Impacts on Coastal Communities and Infrastructure

The changing sea level significantly impacts Sweden's coastal communities and infrastructure. In southern Sweden, rising sea levels threaten coastal settlements, infrastructure such as roads and railways, and valuable agricultural land. This necessitates investment in coastal protection measures, including seawalls, dykes, and other engineering solutions. In northern Sweden, while the relative sea level is falling, the implications are still relevant. Changes in coastline can impact fishing grounds and alter the landscape, affecting both ecosystems and human activities. Accurate predictions of future sea-level changes are crucial for effective coastal management planning and adaptation strategies.

V. Monitoring and Prediction: The Importance of Scientific Data

Sweden employs sophisticated monitoring systems to track sea level changes and land uplift. This involves GPS measurements, tide gauge data, and satellite altimetry. This data is used to create sophisticated models predicting future sea-level changes, allowing for proactive adaptation measures. The accuracy of these predictions depends heavily on understanding the complex interplay of factors affecting sea level, including glacial melting rates, ocean currents, and the continuing land uplift. International cooperation and data sharing are vital for improving these predictive models and ensuring the effective management of coastal zones.

Summary

Sweden's sea level is a dynamic system influenced by both global sea level rise and post-glacial land uplift. This creates a complex scenario where the relative sea level change varies geographically, with a relative fall in the north and a relative rise in the south. Understanding this interplay is crucial for effective coastal management, protecting vulnerable communities and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change and geological processes. Continuous monitoring, advanced modelling, and international collaboration are vital for accurate predictions and the development of appropriate adaptation strategies.

FAQs:

1. Is Sweden's coastline shrinking or growing? It's both! The coastline is receding in the north due to land uplift exceeding sea level rise, while it's advancing in the south due to sea level rise exceeding land uplift.

2. How much is the sea level rising in Sweden? The rate of change varies considerably depending on location. Southern Sweden experiences a net rise, while northern Sweden experiences a net fall.

3. What measures are being taken to address sea level changes in Sweden? Sweden is investing in coastal protection infrastructure, improving flood defenses, and implementing coastal management plans tailored to regional variations in sea level change.

4. What is the biggest threat posed by changing sea levels in Sweden? Coastal erosion and flooding in southern Sweden are major concerns, while changes to ecosystems and fishing grounds are impacting northern regions.

5. How accurate are predictions of future sea level changes in Sweden? Predictions are continuously improving with advancements in technology and data collection. However, uncertainties remain due to the complexity of the interacting factors.

Search Results:

Global sea level very likely to rise between 0.5 and 1.9 meters by … 27 Jan 2025 · The very likely range (90% probability for the event to occur), reported by the NTU team in the journal Earth's Future, complements sea-level rise projections reported by the United Nation's ...

Coastal floods - ClimateChangePost The global rise in sea level of 88 cm gives a rise in average water level of about 80 cm in southern Sweden (up to Östergötland) at the end of the century, 50 cm in the central region (up to Uppland) and 20 cm in the northern region, taking into account subsidence.

Vattenstånd och vågor - SMHI If SMHI has issued a sea level warning for any area, this is marked with a background colour according to the legend. Significant wave height resembles the height of a wave that you would visually estimate as the wave height.

The Swedish Sea Level network The Swedish Sea Level network, operated by the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA), Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB), Chalmers Technical University (CTH) and Gothenburg harbour (GBG) records sea level at 59 locations (Figure 1 and Appendix 1). The Swedish sea level

SeaLevelRise.se - Sweden 9 Sep 2017 · Sweden while all ice sheets melt, adding between 0.0 and 65.0 m to sea level. Maps are centered on 6900000, 600000 (SWEREF 99 TM). Sea level rise above present sea level.

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Stockholm, Sweden (NOAA 050-141, PSMSL 78) - SeaLevel.info The mean sea level (MSL) trend at Stockholm, Sweden is -3.77 mm/year with a 95% confidence interval of ± 0.29 mm/year, based on monthly mean sea level data from 1889 to 2018. That is equivalent to a change of -1.24 feet in 100 years.

Vattenstånd och vågor - SMHI Positions where sea levels or significant wave height are measured in the Baltic Sea area are shown on the map. By clicking one of the dots or by using the drop down list, time series of observations and forecasts are shown in a diagram and table.

Climate indicator – Sea level - SMHI 15 Jul 2015 · How is the indicator sea level defined? The climate indicator sea level shows how sea level changes over time due to ongoing climate change. In Sweden, the sea level is not only affected by climate change, but also by land elevation …

Sweden - Wikipedia The lowest elevation in Sweden is in the bay of Lake Hammarsjön, near Kristianstad, at −2.41 m (−7.91 ft) below sea level. The highest point is Kebnekaise at 2,111 m (6,926 ft) above sea level. Sweden has 25 provinces or landskap.

New reference system for sea levels - SMHI 29 May 2019 · As of June 3, 2019, sea levels in SMHI's observations, forecasts and warnings will be expressed in the Swedish national height system 2000 (Rikets Höjdsystem 2000, RH 2000) instead of relative the mean sea level. RH 2000 is Sweden's national …

Sea-level rise projections for Sweden based on the new IPCC … In here, we will present new sea-level projections for Sweden based on the new IPCC special report: The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) (Oppenheimer et al. 2019), which was released on September 25, 2019. Moreover, we will take into account the full spatial variability of sea-level rise as described in SROCC.

Swedish Sea Level Series - A Climate Indicator - SMHI Table to the right shows 14 long Swedish sea level series with start year and absolute land uplift for each location. Values are based upon Continuous Global Positioning (CGPS) measurements (source: The Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority).

Sweden - Sea Level Historical | Climate Change Knowledge Portal Sea level rise refers to the increase in the height of the ocean’s surface, which affects coastlines around the world. Measuring this change is crucial for understanding the rate and effects of rising seas on both global and local scales. Scientists use two main tools to track sea level changes: tide gauges and satellites. Tide gauges, which provide us with data going back more than a ...

Sea level - SMHI 5 May 2010 · People in many parts of the world already experience the effects of sea level rise. In Scandinavia the increase is not so noticeable due to land rise, which is most significant in the North. In Southern Sweden however, the sea level has …

SeaLevelRise.se 12 Jul 2017 · SeaLevelRise.se presents Earth, Sweden and the 194 Swedish communes potentially affected by sea level rise on 327 pages with 6,664 maps, 1552 videos and 428 3D scenes showing flooded areas, and 195 diagrams and 233 tables showing the areas and number of residents affected, per commune and all of Sweden, at various sea level rises up to the ...

Geography of Sweden - Wikipedia At sea level instead, the coldest average highs range from 21 °C (70 °F) to −6 °C (21 °F). As a result of the mild summers, the arctic region of Norrbotten has some of the northernmost agriculture in the world.

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Sweden topographic map, elevation, terrain At 449,964 km2 (173,732 sq mi), Sweden is the 55th-largest country in the world, the fifth-largest country in Europe, and the largest country in Northern Europe. The lowest elevation in Sweden is in the bay of Lake Hammarsjön, near Kristianstad, at −2.41 m (−7.91 ft) below sea level.

Sea-level rise projections for Sweden based on the new IPCC … 28 Jan 2020 · In here, we will present new sea-level projections for Sweden based on the new IPCC special report: The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) (Oppenheimer et al. 2019 ), which was released on September 25, 2019. Moreover, we will take into account the full spatial variability of sea-level rise as described in SROCC.

Water levels | Swedish portal for climate change adaptation 20 Nov 2020 · In average, sea levels along Sweden’s coasts have risen by more than 25 cm since the end of the 19th century, corresponding to 2 mm per year. Measurements have shown that the rate of rise has accelerated in recent years.

Sweden Topography and Elevation Map - What is my elevation The highest point in Sweden is Kebnekaise, which is 2,111 meters above sea level. The lowlands are mostly flat and rocky. The terrain is a mix of rocky coasts and sandy beaches, with numerous bays and inlets along the coastlines.