It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with sea level. (Discuss)

Eustasy is one of several terms that are used to describe the changing relationships between sea level and dry land. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ...

The term eustasy or eustatic refers to changes in the global sea level. For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ...

Some factors:

• The amount of water in the oceans, usually due to global climatic changes.
• The melting of glaciers at the end of ice ages is an example of eustatic sea level rise.
• When the Earth's climate cools, water is evaporated from the oceans and is precipitated on land masses as permanent ice and snow. This causes sea levels to fall relative to a stable land mass.
• Changes in the volume of ocean basins, such as the Atlantic Ocean becoming larger due to sea floor spreading.

The term isostasy or isostatic refers to changes in the level of the land masses due to thermal buoyancy or tectonic effects and implies no real change in the amount of water in the oceans. Areas like volcanic islands are experiencing relative sea level rise as a combined result of isostatic cooling of the rock (which causes the land to sink) and eustatic sea level rise from the continuing recovery from the last ice age. The worlds oceans as seen from the South Pacific Ocean (from Okeanos, Greek for river, the ancient Greeks noticed that a strong current flowed off Gibraltar, and assumed it was a great river); covers almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth, and nearly half of the... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... Measurement of recent sea level rise from 23 long tide gauge records in geologically stable environments Changes in sea level since the end of the last glacial episode Sea level rise is an increase in sea level. ... A natural, 4 tonne, block of ice on a beach in Iceland Icicles Ice is frozen water (one of its three phases of matter), and thereby a transparent, crystal solid. ... A fresh snowfall in Colorados (USA) high forests. ... Isostasy is a term used in Geology to refer to the state of gravitational equilibrium between the Earths lithosphere and asthenosphere such that the tectonic plates float at an elevation which depends on their thickness and density. ... ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ...

When the term relative is used, it connotes change that is not attributed to any specific cause.

Paleoclimatologists can track sea level changes by examining the rocks deposited along coasts that are very tectonically stable, like the east coast of North America. World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the...

External link

• Properties of isostasy and eustasy