demonstrations:modeling_sea_level_rise_in_google_earth

Modeling Sea Level Rise in Google Earth

Materials: ★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required

Categories: Global Systems, Sustainability, Water Cycle

Alternative titles: How to Drown Your Town

Summary

This demonstration shows how to model and visualize sea level rise anywhere in the world using Google Earth. By overlaying a transparent color layer at a set elevation, users can simulate the effects of rising sea levels on cities and coastlines, helping to illustrate potential impacts of climate change.

Procedure

  1. Choose some significant places of importance and find them on Google Earth.
  2. Use the method in the Links section to model raising sea levels.

📄 How to #DrownYourTown: a step by step guide to modeling sea level rise in Google Earth - Andrew Thaler: https://www.southernfriedscience.com/how-to-drownyourtown-a-step-by-step-guide-to-modelling-sea-level-rise-in-google-earth/

Variations

  • Create multiple overlays to represent different sea level rise scenarios (e.g., 1 m, 5 m, 10 m).
  • Use different colors for water levels, pollution, or flood zones.
  • Combine overlays with real climate or elevation data for greater accuracy.
  • Use a purchased software solution to show rising sea levels.

Safety Precautions

  • No physical safety risks, but always verify data accuracy before sharing results publicly.
  • Acknowledge that this is a visualization tool, not a precise scientific model.

Questions to Consider

  • How might rising sea levels impact coastal communities? (They can cause flooding, loss of land, and displacement of people.)
  • Why is it important to visualize sea level rise locally? (It helps people connect abstract climate concepts to their own environment.)
  • What limitations does this Google Earth model have? (It uses approximate topography and does not account for tides, storm surges, or land elevation changes.)
  • How can such visualizations support environmental education and policy discussions? (They make data accessible and compelling, motivating awareness and action on climate change.)