NASA spots massive Antarctic iceberg

Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier calved, or broke off, an iceberg three times the size of Manhattan, adding to a lengthening list of major "calving events" that are contributing to global sea level rise. Full story ›

Operation IceBridge, ICESat-2 join forces to survey Antarctica

NASA’s decade-long airborne survey of polar ice is once again probing Antarctica, this time while the agency’s newest satellite mission studies it from space. Full story ›

Finding open water in Greenland's icy seas

In an effort to better understand the ocean's role in Greenland's rapid ice loss, researchers must drop scientific probes safely into open water around the island's coast. Full story ›

Scientists ID three causes of Earth's spin axis drift

NASA has identified three processes responsible for wobbles in Earth's axis of rotation: water mass loss primarily in Greenland, glacial rebound, and mantle convection. Full story ›

Keeping score on Earth's rising seas

A science team tallies up the many contributions to sea level rise, such as melting ice and warming, expanding oceans. Full story ›

Global Mean Sea Level

3.2

± 0.4
mm/yr
Ocean Mass

1.8

± 0.3
mm/yr
Steric Height

0.8

± 0.2
mm/yr
Greenland Ice Mass Change

286

± 21
Gt/yr
Antarctica Ice Mass Change

127

± 39
Gt/yr

Research and Resources

Data Search

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Data Tools

Data Analysis Tool - Beta Version

Analyze NASA data with the Data Analysis Tool. Perform regional statistical analysis, time series analysis and comparison.
Virtual Earth System Laboratory

The Virtual Earth System Laboratory includes simulations related to glaciers, ice sheets, sea level and solid earth.

Understanding Sea Level

NASA keeps track of sea level change and its causes from space. Find out more about how NASA satellite observations help our understanding of this complex topic.

Causes

Observations

Projections

Adaptation

Learn more about why sea level is rising, the different causes, current and past rates.

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Understanding Sea Level

NASA keeps track of sea level change and its causes from space. Find out more about how NASA satellite observations help our understanding of this complex topic.

Causes

Learn more about why sea level is rising, the different causes, current and past rates.

Learn more about Causes ›

Observations

Learn more about how sea level is measured, the different types of observations, measurement techniques, and how data can be merged to form a long-term climate record.

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Projections

Learn more about how models forecast the future of sea level, and how different components contributing to sea level change are predicted to evolve over time.

Learn more about Projections ›