Glacioeustacy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The variation in global sea levels caused by changes in the volume of continental ice sheets ; the process by which melting or growing glaciers influence ocean water height worldwide ; the fluctuation of sea level driven by glacial cycles impacting shoreline positions
2. Global shifts in ocean levels due to the accumulation or melting of land-based ice masses ; changes in marine water height worldwide linked to glacial periods ; alterations in sea level resulting from redistribution of ice between continents and oceans
3. Worldwide sea level changes tied to the growth and decay of ice sheets on land ; the impact of glacial expansion or retreat on ocean volume ; the global rise and fall of seas associated with ice mass variations during geological timeframes

Etymology: The surprise lies in the middle of the word. "Stasis" is Greek for "standing" or "standstill," so "eustasy," the base of this term, describes sea level that stands evenly across the globe. The Greek prefix "eu-" means "well" or "good," and the term contrasts with local changes, which happen when a coastline itself sinks or rises. The "glacio-" element comes from Latin "glacies," meaning "ice." Together the parts name a specific cause. When ice sheets grow, water is locked on land and seas fall everywhere. When they melt, seas rise everywhere. Geologists needed a label for this global pattern, which can be masked along any single coast by land movement.

Synonyms: glacio-eustasy, sea level change, ice volume change