What is GIA ?

The Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) (or post-glacial rebound) encompenses the mass redistribution at the Earth’s surface induced by the waxing and waning of the continental and polar ice sheets at ice age periods (millennia time scales). Whereas the most recent global deglaciation was completed by nearly 6000 years ago, the continents are still reacting to the melting of this ice by going up. This reaction induces variations of the land and sea levels.

The GIA thus induces long term sea level changes at global and regional scales. The mean sea level variation induced by the GIA is estimated to nearly -0.3mm/year. It can reach up to -4mm/year at regional scale. The GIA is measured by the altimeters.

Is the GIA applied on DUACS products ?

The DUACS L3 and L4 products are not corrected from GIA effects. See DUACS processing for the complete list of the corrections applied