Articles | Volume 12, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-1165-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-1165-2016
Research article
 | 
11 Nov 2016
Research article |  | 11 Nov 2016

El Niño, La Niña, and the global sea level budget

Christopher G. Piecuch and Katherine J. Quinn
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Short summary
We use satellite and in situ data to elucidate global-mean sea level (GMSL) changes related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) over 2005–2015. Steric and mass effects make comparable contributions to the GMSL budget during ENSO, in contrast to previous interpretations based largely on hydrological models, which emphasize mass contributions. Results exemplify the usefulness of the Global Ocean Observing System for understanding the Earth's radiation imbalance and hydrological cycle.