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Global mean sea-level change has increased from a few centimetres per century over recent millennia to a few tens of centimetres per century in recent decades. A review of the latest work shows that global mean sea-level rise is unlikely to exceed one metre over the twenty-first century, but regional departures from this global mean could reach several decimetres.
The myriad bodies that occur in the Solar System show a wide range of physical properties. Exploration by spacecraft during the past four decades has shown that volcanism — a major mechanism by which internal heat is transported to the surface — is common on many of these bodies.
Cordilleran orogenic systems are long belts of deformation and magmatism that form when oceanic plates subduct beneath continental ones. Links between processes in the upper continental plate explain key features of Cordilleran systems, such as cyclical trends in the flux and composition of magma supplied to the upper plate.
Field studies and experimental research during the past two decades have provided considerable evidence for a significant influence of climate on tectonics. Recent advances suggest that model predictions can guide future fieldwork aimed at substantiating this view.
