Accuracy measurement of sea level rise due to effect of Climate Change through tide gauge data and NASA Topex-Poseidon/Jason satellite series. The case of Valencia

Abstract

The rise in sea level is one of the most important consequences of Climate Change. Studies related to the sea level rise show great spatial variability. This study focused on the coastal area of Valencia, located in the Mediterranean of the Iberian Peninsula. The projection of the rise in sea level has been estimated from satellite multisite altimetry and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation data for the Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, regionalized by a linear regression model and historical records of the tide gauges of the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level. The results show increases in sea levels from 27.59 and 143,63 cm, (R2 = 0.62 from tide gauges and R2 =0.37 from satellites data), by the end of the 21st century. Possible consequences include the intensification of the effect of maritime storms and an increased vulnerability of the coastal areas.