A European network for sea level and coastal land level monitoring

Abstract

Recommendations have recently been made by an international working group that a global absolute sea level monitoring system should be set up over the next few years by installing permanently operating GPS receivers at 100, or thereabouts, key tide gauges around the world. After giving a brief overview of these recommendations and of the current state of global and regional tide gauge and GPS networks, we propose the formation of a strategic European network for sea level and coastal land level monitoring. This will complement the sparser ‘global’ monitoring system and provide a European network infrastructure with common standards. It will provide a more regional basis for sea and land level monitoring, and can be further densified in local areas which have flood defence problems. The proposed system will provide data for determining regional changes in absolute mean sea levels due to climate change, identifying areas of coastal subsidence, monitoring flow through straits, and for helping to define a unified European vertical datum. We hope to stimulate discussions between European geodesists, oceanographers and tide gauge operators, with the aim of achieving extensive support for such a network.