Changing Tides: Research Center Under Fire for 'Adjusted' Sea-Level Data

[BlueStateSaint]

Mods, if this one belongs in the Global Warming forum, please move it there.


Changing Tides: Research Center Under Fire for 'Adjusted' Sea-Level Data


By Maxim Lott

Published June 17, 2011
| FoxNews.com




Is climate change raising sea levels, as Al Gore has argued -- or are climate scientists doctoring the data?

The University of Colorado’s Sea Level Research Group decided in May to add 0.3 millimeters -- or about the thickness of a fingernail -- every year to its actual measurements of sea levels, sparking criticism from experts who called it an attempt to exaggerate the effects of global warming.

"Gatekeepers of our sea level data are manufacturing a fictitious sea level rise that is not occurring," said James M. Taylor, a lawyer who focuses on environmental issues for the Heartland Institute.

Steve Nerem, the director of the widely relied-upon research center, told FoxNews.com that his group added the 0.3 millimeters per year to the actual sea level measurements because land masses, still rebounding from the ice age, are rising and increasing the amount of water that oceans can hold.

"We have to account for the fact that the ocean basins are actually getting slightly bigger... water volume is expanding," he said, a phenomenon they call glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA).

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/06/17/research-center-under-fire-for-adjusted-sea-level-data/#ixzz1PYNjxl8N



The lawyer, in the very next statement at the link, calls the action "tomfoolery."

More evidence that the manmade glowball warming thing is a hot pile of shit.

[NHSparky]

See, now you're just being mean.

And racist.

[Wineslob]

or are climate scientists doctoring the data?

They are no scientists.

[IassaFTots]

I hope the mods leave it here.  I was getting tired of seeing Anthony's Weiner on the front page.  

"When Al Gore talks about Manhattan flooding this century, and 20 feet of sea level rise, that’s simply not going to happen. If it were going to happen, he wouldn’t have bought his multi-million dollar mansion along the coast in California."

HA!

[thelaughingman]

Steve Nerem, the director of the widely relied-upon research center, told FoxNews.com that his group added the 0.3 millimeters per year to the actual sea level measurements because land masses, still rebounding from the ice age, are rising and increasing the amount of water that oceans can hold.

"We have to account for the fact that the ocean basins are actually getting slightly bigger... water volume is expanding," he said, a phenomenon they call glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA).

Does this explanation smell funny to anyone else?  I mean, obviously it does just based on the fact that it has to do with all the global warming nonsense, but just from a purely technical standpoint something doesn't seem right.  If the continents actually are "rebounding" and making the ocean basins bigger, then how can they possibly know by how much and how it affects water volume measurements?

[Celtic Rose]

Does this explanation smell funny to anyone else?  I mean, obviously it does just based on the fact that it has to do with all the global warming nonsense, but just from a purely technical standpoint something doesn't seem right.  If the continents actually are "rebounding" and making the ocean basins bigger, then how can they possibly know by how much and how it affects water volume measurements?

If they honestly believe that the sea basins are expanding, then that is good evidence that we don't need to worry about sea levels rising, because it appears that the sea basins are expanding at the same rate, and therefore, despite a change in volume the levels won't change. 

Perhaps they should go take a geometry class and review volume measurements. 

[Eupher]

If they honestly believe that the sea basins are expanding, then that is good evidence that we don't need to worry about sea levels rising, because it appears that the sea basins are expanding at the same rate, and therefore, despite a change in volume the levels won't change. 

Perhaps they should go take a geometry class and review volume measurements. 

Yeah, I'd think that the scientific asshats who are creating "research" opportunities for themselves have it backwards. If the ocean basins were getting SMALLER and glowbull warming is melting polar icecaps at an "alarming rate" (  ) then there might be cause for concern.

And Tots is on target with Al Bore and his ocean-front property.

What's the deal, Al? You looking for FEMA to come bail you out of that mess too?

Dickhead.

[BlueStateSaint]

Tots, where did you find that?  I'd love to be able to throw that in a few faces.

[IassaFTots]

Tots, where did you find that?  I'd love to be able to throw that in a few faces.

It was in the article.   

[BlueStateSaint]

It was in the article.   

Whoops!  Yes, it was!