In the context of global warming, the rapid rise in global sea level has received great attention. However, due to the rapid degradation of satellite altimeter data in nearshore regions, traditional satellite altimeter products cannot be directly used to monitor coastal sea level changes. Recent development of coastal altimeter products that merge multiple satellite altimetry datasets and adopt the X-TRACK/ALES processing system has significantly enhanced the ability to monitor coastal sea level changes. In this study, we use coastal altimetry product to examine coastal sea level changes in the Southeast Asian region. Validation with tide gauge and GNSS data reveals that, compared to conventional altimeter products, coastal altimeter product provide a more accurate representation of absolute sea level change along the coast. Further analysis indicates that only in a few locations, significant variations in sea level trend are observed from 10 km offshore to the coast. Multiple linear regression analysis suggests that coastal sea level changes in the Southeast Asian region are primarily modulated by the major modes of climate variability including the ENSO on interannual timescales and the tropical Pacific decadal variability.

 

sea level, satellite altimetry, coastal zone