| Title Sea Level Rise in the Fiji Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Author Rohitesh Richard American River College, Geography 350: Data Acquisition in GIS; Spring 2010 Contact Information (510-676-1813, rohitesh70@hotmail.com) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Abstract This paper is to highlight the Sea Level rise in the Fiji Islands and the Techniques implemented to study it. Fiji Islands is a cluster of islands located 178 degress west and 18 degress southon the world map. Its placement in the Pacific Archeopology makes it really vanurable for Sea Level Rise. Several Studies indicate a possibility of mass extinction of several low lying Islands in the South Pacific and Fiji Islands is no Exception to that . | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Introduction In 1991, the Australian Marine Science & Technology and the Survey Department of the FIji Islands setup a CGPS Station and a SEAFRAME guage to accurately monitor the Sea Level Rise in the FIJI Islands and Other South Pacific Countries as well with a Primary Goal to generate an accurate record of variance in long term sea levels for the South Pacific Region and to establish methods to make these data available and useable by All Pacific Island Countries. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background The sea level and climate change problems are complex and no-one expects that significant information about the response of sea levels to global warming will be forthcoming in the short term: (DR T H Anug, 2000) It is to be noted that almost every atolls in the Pacific ocean are low-lying and they are having a serious threat from sea level rise. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are islands in the South
Pacific who are just a meter above sea level and some at the moment are
below sea level.The rate at which Greenhouse gasses are emmited,the global
warming effect has impacted all the South Pacifc Islands. Many population
are considering mass migration to other countries which would result in
extinction of certain culture and tradition which the Pacific Islanders
are renowed for. Many of the Islands Freshwater tables are also in danger
being contimenated by salt water thus making life more
difficult. |
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Methods In order to measure Sea Level Rise accurately, A Sea Level Fine Resolution Acoustic Measuring Equipment (SEAFRAME) and a Continuous Global Positioning System (CGPS) was installed in Fiji Islands. The SEAFRAME recorded sea level, air and water temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction. Precise Levelling was carried to determine shifts in the vertical of the sea level sensors due to land movement. The function of the CGPS station was to determine the vertical movement of the Land with respect to the International terrestrial Reference Frame. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Precise Levelling was carried out every 18 months to check the stability of the datum. These levelling were done on an array of deep seated benchmarks located close to the tide guages. The CGPS systems measure sea level with an accuracy of 1 mm every six minutes which is important for recognising small changes. All these data incoporated with the SEAFRAME data and compiled taking into accounts seasonal cycles that were affected by El Nino, cyclones and tsunami. The sea level and climate data are regularly recorded and transmitted to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology National Tidal Centre (NTC) in Adelaide |
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Results The sea level trend to date is
+2.3mm/yr but this trend continues to vary widely from month to month as
dataset grows. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Given that the record is relatively short, it is still
too early to deduce a long-term trend, but a number of clear results are
emerging. The sea level records for all stations demonstrate coherent sea
level rise that are in line with global trends . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Figures and Maps Graph below shows the Sea
level Trend from 1992 to 2005. It clearly indicates effect of global
warming impacting the smaller pacific islands by raising the sea level
. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Analysis Sea-level rise is a significant
risk to Fiji. Over 90% of the population and all urban areas are located
near the coast, thus exacerbating the impact of land inundation and
coastal erosion. The tourism-based economy requires large portions of the
population to remain on the coast, which will complicate efforts to
migrate inland.The current sea level rise does not favor the fiji islands
and there are risks of losing low lying islands with the Fiji group.
Another Factor that has impacted from these sea level rise study is that
many low lying islands are losing there freshwater tables which is
contributing to mass migration to mainlands causing over crowding and
other socioeconomic problems. We are unable to answer all the question so
far regarding the impact of sea level rise in fiji but several Mitigation
and adaptation strategies have been discussed and some implemented to
avoid a major crisis which could be at one point be unavoidable as well.
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Conclusions There is no clear cut solution
to the Sea Level rise problem in the Fiji Islands.Although strategies are
in place but we still need to involve local communities in coastal area
management through helping them to develop the necessary awareness and
understanding of the coastal environment. There is a general consensus
that global warming is the consequence of negligence of the developed
countries. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References Arti V.N, 2003. AusAID South Pacific Sea Level & Climate Monitoring Project- Phase III Dr. Anug, T.H, 2000. Sea Level Monitoring;University of the South Pacific, Fiji Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||