Seasonal signal and regional sea level variability over the past 25 years

In this study we have quantified the role of seasonal cycles in globally observed sea level variability from satellite altimetry over 1993-2018. We show the largest seasonal variability, with contribution more than 80% of total variance, is detected in particular regions- the marginal seas over the continental shelf regions in South East Asia and Gulf of Carpentaria, tropical Atlantic along the coastal regions of east Atlantic Ocean, Arabian Sea, regions of Mediterranean, Red Sea with amplitudes greater than 20cm in majority of these locations. The rest of the ocean, mainly deep open ocean, exhibits strong signatures of non-seasonal variability related to interannual and longer scale cycles.

For the regions with large seasonal variability (e.g. South East Asia coastline), analysis of seasonal variability demonstrate a good agreement in amplitude and phase from satellite altimetry and tide gauges records. While steric contribution can explain more than 80% of total variability in the deep ocean areas, in shallow areas we explain a large part of variability though wind driven during the two monsoon seasons, and not attributed to the steric changes.