NASA | Earth Science Week: Melting Ice, Rising Seas

"Melting Ice, Rising Seas" is Episode 5 in the six-part series "Tides of Change", exploring amazing NASA ocean science to celebrate Earth Science Week 2009. Sea level rise is an indicator that our planet is warming. Much of the world's population lives on or near the coast, and rising seas are something worth watching. Sea level can rise for two reasons, both linked to a warming planet. When ice on land, such as mountain glaciers or the ice sheets of Greenland or Antarctica, melt, that water contributes to sea level rise. And when our oceans get warmer - another indicator of climate change - the water expands, also making sea level higher. Using satellites, lasers, and radar in space, and dedicated researchers on the ground, NASA is studying the Earth's ice and water to better understand how sea level rise might affect us all.