How a Volcano Hid the Acceleration of Sea Level Rise

An uptick in sea level rise caused by greenhouse gas pollution during the past two decades has been hiding behind a volcano.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in Indonesia in 1991 sent tens of millions of tons of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere.  By reflecting heat and cooling ocean temperatures, a new study has shown how the eruption masked the worsening effects of industrial pollution on global sea levels during the two decades since.

In 1992, NASA and Japan launched satellite missions to measure sea levels.  Pouring over the data from the satellites could lead to the conclusion that global warming is causing seas to rise at a slightly slowing rate of a little more an inch every decade.

Modeling-based research published Wednesday in Scientific Reports showed the problem of rising seas is far pressing even than that, with sea level rise caused by greenhouse gas pollution continuing to accelerate.

“Pinatubo decreased the apparent starting point of sea level,” said John Fasullo, a climate scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research and University of Colorado who led the new study.

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