Don Chambers, Ph.D.
Professor of Physical Oceanography, USF
Dr. Don P. Chambers is a Professor of Physical Oceanography at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, and is an internationally recognized expert in the field of sea level science. He specializes in using satellite observations to understand the mechanisms driving sea level change, both globally and regionally. He served as a Lead Author on the 5th Climate Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in September 2013 and is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the largest international society of geoscientists.
The Earth has warmed over the last century, primarily from addition of carbon dioxide, methane, and other Greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This heat imbalance has had significant effects on the ocean. Here, I will discuss the physical basis for climate change, the observations that demonstrate a warming climate, and their effect on the ocean. These effects include ocean warming, sea level rise, melting of ice sheets, and ocean acidification.