Origin of interannual variability in global mean sea level

Extended records of global mean steric and barystatic sea level are produced and exhibit strong agreement with satellite altimeter-observed global mean sea level (GMSL). The GMSL contributions derived from these datasets show that there are correlated steric and barystatic GMSL contributions of similar magnitudes. These variations are closely related to the El Niño−Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and provide observational support for past studies indicating important steric and barystatic GMSL contributions associated with ENSO. The improved understanding of the origins of interannual variability in GMSL established here has important implications for our understanding of long-term trends in sea level, the hydrological cycle, and the planet's radiation imbalance.