If Global warming creates higher sea levels are mountains getting smaller as they are measured from sea level?

Answer 1

Hmmmm, possibly, but...

Over the last 100 years sea levels have risen by an average of only 1 inch every 15 years, and it's entirely possible that some mountains may be growing at a faster rate than that.

Also, the latest measurement of mount Everest by the Chinese, using GPS technology, gave a value that was listed with an error of +/- .21m. That's just over 8 inches, or about 125 years of sea level change.

So, it would depend on the individual mountain in question, but generally I'd say that the change in sea level is insignificant.

Answer 2

Yes, basically. Even though, as pointed out, many mountain ranges are actively rising, not all are, and either way, the reference level is rising. This reference level is called the "Geoid"; it is where the sea would rise to at any point on earth if you could somehow make a direct connection to the sea with a pipe.
It takes into account the effects of local gravity; if there is more available water in the ocean, the Geoid gets higher.

The matter isn't entirely trivial. The sea level could rise by as much as 7m (and past rises and falls are much bigger than that). Thus a significant area of the world that is currently on average above the "snowline", will then on average, not get any cover. That means less reflective surface, more heat absorbed, a slight rise in global temperature - raising both the sea level and the snowline!

Answer 3

I think the question that has to be asked first is, "What is sea level?" I suspect this is a fixed value that will not change even though average sea depths may be rising. If sea level is fixed then global warming will not affect this historical reference point and therefore the heights of mountains relative to sea level will not change (unless they are on tectonic boundaries and growing, which is nothing to do with global warming). So try asking What is sea level and see what answers you get?

Answer 4

I don't buy into the Global Warming craze. In 1971 on the 1st World Earth Day they predicted that in 30 years we would be going through another ice age.

Well it has been 35 years....did I miss the ice age that all of the renown scientists predicted>

So no, the height of the mountains are not changing.

Answer 5

Hardly. Mountains are measured in metres these days so if sea levels rose by a metre, which is not very likely, then you wouldn't even notice the difference.
Global warming is a serious threat though but not enough to displace your mountaineering excursions!!!.

Answer 6

Dont let it scare you, you will be long gone before the ocean even rises an inch!! Unless the asteroid Apophis hits the earth and causes a massive tsunami and takes us out, then you might see some real sea levels rising!

Answer 7

My name is Rafael Lomena. I write from Alicante (Spain). I am independent investigator on the Accelerated Global Heating and want to share with all something that can turn out from interest to fight this phenomenon.
I believe that the main cause of the Accelerated Global Heating is in the great and increasing forest fires that are whipping to the planet in the last years.
My complete report is in: http://inicia.es/de/rlv/clim.htm...
If they do not understand the Spanish they can use the automatic translator that will find in the main page of site:
http://inicia.es/de/rlv
Thanks to all.
(* This message has been translated with a translation software)

Answer 8

We're talking minute amounts here... centimetres etc, at the worst. Mountains are usually measured in feet - there's a hell of a long way to go before Everest is a foot shorter than it is now!!!

Answer 9

Of cours, if the sea level is rising, elevations measured against sea level will decline.

Answer 10

Actually their height is increasing. This is due to the fact that most mountains lay on tectonic plates. Continual compression of stone and introduction of magma increase the volume of the mountain itself.