Physics

Geology

Climate change

Term (time)

Sea level

Physical geography

Oceanography

Library science

Philosophy

Geography

Programming language

Data science

Subject (documents)

Computer science

Linguistics

Ambiguity

Terminology

Quantum mechanics

Surveys in Geophysics

Changes in sea level lead to some of the most severe impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Consequently, they are a subject of great interest in both scientific research and public policy. This paper defines concepts and terminology associated with sea level and sea-level changes in order to facilitate progress in sea-level science, in which communication is sometimes hindered by inconsistent and unclear language. We identify key terms and clarify their physical and mathematical meanings, make links between concepts and across disciplines, draw distinctions where there is ambiguity, and propose new terminology where it is lacking or where existing terminology is confusing. We include formulae and diagrams to support the definitions.

Concepts and Terminology for Sea Level: Mean, Variability and Change, Both Local and Global