Session 7. Vertical movements of the earth surface, sea level and potential fields

Conveners: T. Van Dam, M.-P. Doin, S. Zerbini

We welcome in this session contributions focused on the measurement and modeling of vertical movements and gravity changes in response to past or present-day changes in surface loads. Vertical displacements are now retrieved with a greatly improved accuracy (< mm/yr) that allows to map a wide variety of dynamic phenomena on Earth. Combined with gravity measurements by space (GRACE mission) or on ground, on may hope to decipher surface mass changes (atmospheric, oceanic, hydrological loads) from underground water and deeper Earth dynamical effects.

The surface of the solid earth is also a natural reference for quantifying sea level rise, and can either mitigate or enhance the sea level rise experienced in coastal areas. At regional scales, mass redistribution inside the earth will change the gravity field and induce additional sea level variations.

Contributors to vertical movements and gravity changes are, on a secular scale, the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) due to changes in ice cover during the past glacial cycles or during the Little Ice Age, or isostatic readjustments to erosion in mountain belts, and tectonic processes in active areas. They are modulated on the geodetic time scale by changes in atmospheric, oceanic and hydrological loads. They can be used to constrain the earth rheological properties, the deformation at depth on or off faults, but also the continental water storage.

Keynote speaker

Luciana Fenoglio - University of Bonn - Germany
Absolute and relative sea level change

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Detailed Oral Program

Tuesday 11th September

1:30PM - 3:30PM:  

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List of Posters