Determining and Monitoring Sea Level in the Caribbean using Satellite Altimetry

SUMMARY Precise monitoring of changes in the mean sea level of the oceans is critical for understanding not just the climate but also the socioeconomic con sequences of any rise in sea level. Though the impacts of sea level change are of internationa l concern, they are especially significant for small island states, such as those in the Caribbean . Small Island States are especially at risk from the effects of climate change and sea level ri se largely because of their environmental and economic dependence on coastal zones. Exacerbating this vulnerability is the fact that the Caribbean region is plagued by a lack of dependable in-situ tide gauges and spatially effective systems for monitoring sea level. This paper aims to fill the gap in available mean s ea level data in the Caribbean region using satellite altimetry. Satellite altimetry provides a method that resolves the sparse, unreliable sea level monitoring system in the Caribbean. The techn ique of satellite altimetry is examined in its use to effectively monitor and compute mean sea level (MSL) and subsequently derive sea level rise (SLR) rates for the Caribbean.