Sea level dynamics

Sea level variability could not only affect the air-sea exchanges via surface ocean dynamics but also risk the coastal communities/cities from hazards such as inundation, erosion and retreat. Changes of sea level are governed by various processes on small to large scales, both in space and time, e.g., wind waves, tides, meteo tsunamis, storm surges, mean sea level rise etc. We study these sea level changes as well as their interaction with hydrodynamics, turbulence and sediment transport in estuaries and coastal seas. We apply statistical methods to observed and modelled data to understand past and current sea level variability of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Furthermore, we use global warming scenarios to estimate potential changes in sea level dynamics in the future.