Misplaced Pages

#195804

43-639: Sun Moon Lake is located 748 m (2,454 ft) above sea level . It is 27 m (89 ft) deep and has a surface area of approximately 7.93 km (3.06 sq mi). The area surrounding the lake has many trails for hiking. While swimming in Sun Moon Lake is usually not permitted, there is an annual 3-km race called the Swimming Carnival of Sun Moon Lake held around the Mid-Autumn Festival each year. The Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival

86-491: A datum . For example, hourly measurements may be averaged over a full Metonic 19-year lunar cycle to determine the mean sea level at an official tide gauge . Still-water level or still-water sea level (SWL) is the level of the sea with motions such as wind waves averaged out. Then MSL implies the SWL further averaged over a period of time such that changes due to, e.g., the tides , also have zero mean. Global MSL refers to

129-491: A topographic map variations in elevation are shown by contour lines . A mountain's highest point or summit is typically illustrated with the AMSL height in metres, feet or both. In unusual cases where a land location is below sea level, such as Death Valley, California , the elevation AMSL is negative. It is often necessary to compare the local height of the mean sea surface with a "level" reference surface, or geodetic datum, called

172-440: A "mean sea level" is difficult because of the many factors that affect sea level. Instantaneous sea level varies substantially on several scales of time and space. This is because the sea is in constant motion, affected by the tides, wind , atmospheric pressure, local gravitational differences, temperature, salinity , and so forth. The mean sea level at a particular location may be calculated over an extended time period and used as

215-409: A defined barometric pressure . Generally, the pressure used to set the altimeter is the barometric pressure that would exist at MSL in the region being flown over. This pressure is referred to as either QNH or "altimeter" and is transmitted to the pilot by radio from air traffic control (ATC) or an automatic terminal information service (ATIS). Since the terrain elevation is also referenced to MSL,

258-432: A few metres, in timeframes ranging from minutes to months: Between 1901 and 2018, the average sea level rose by 15–25 cm (6–10 in), with an increase of 2.3 mm (0.091 in) per year since the 1970s. This was faster than the sea level had ever risen over at least the past 3,000 years. The rate accelerated to 4.62 mm (0.182 in)/yr for the decade 2013–2022. Climate change due to human activities

301-463: A sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, this may increase to hundreds of millions in the latter decades of the century. Local factors like tidal range or land subsidence will greatly affect the severity of impacts. For instance, sea level rise in the United States is likely to be two to three times greater than the global average by the end of the century. Yet, of the 20 countries with

344-483: A spatial average over the entire ocean area, typically using large sets of tide gauges and/or satellite measurements. One often measures the values of MSL with respect to the land; hence a change in relative MSL or ( relative sea level ) can result from a real change in sea level, or from a change in the height of the land on which the tide gauge operates, or both. In the UK, the ordnance datum (the 0 metres height on UK maps)

387-617: Is an amusement park in Yuchi Township , Nantou County , Taiwan which has been in operation since 1986. It is distinctive for its Formosan aboriginal culture theme. The park contains the tallest free-fall ride in Taiwan as well as Taiwan's largest European gardens and bell tower . The land on which the Formosan Aboriginal Culture village now stands was purchased in 1982 by the village's current president Jung-i Chang. The park

430-585: Is calibrated to the Amsterdam Peil elevation, which dates back to the 1690s. Satellite altimeters have been making precise measurements of sea level since the launch of TOPEX/Poseidon in 1992. A joint mission of NASA and CNES , TOPEX/Poseidon was followed by Jason-1 in 2001 and the Ocean Surface Topography Mission on the Jason-2 satellite in 2008. Height above mean sea level ( AMSL )

473-427: Is due to change in either the volume of water in the world's oceans or the volume of the oceanic basins . Two major mechanisms are currently causing eustatic sea level rise. First, shrinking land ice, such as mountain glaciers and polar ice sheets, is releasing water into the oceans. Second, as ocean temperatures rise, the warmer water expands. Many factors can produce short-term changes in sea level, typically within

SECTION 10

#1732852637196

516-481: Is featured in the newly-issued People's Republic of China passport in 2012, a move that has triggered protest from Taipei to Beijing . Sea level Mean sea level ( MSL , often shortened to sea level ) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth 's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datum  – a standardised geodetic datum  – that

559-451: Is mainly caused by human-induced climate change . When temperatures rise, mountain glaciers and polar ice sheets melt, increasing the amount of water in the oceans, while the existing seawater also expands with heat. Because most of human settlement and infrastructure was built in response to a more-normalized sea level with limited expected change, populations affected by sea level rise will need to invest in climate adaptation to mitigate

602-411: Is the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of an object, relative to a reference datum for mean sea level (MSL). It is also used in aviation, where some heights are recorded and reported with respect to mean sea level (contrast with flight level ), and in the atmospheric sciences , and in land surveying . An alternative is to base height measurements on a reference ellipsoid approximating

645-723: Is the main cause. Between 1993 and 2018, melting ice sheets and glaciers accounted for 44% of sea level rise , with another 42% resulting from thermal expansion of water . Sea level rise lags behind changes in the Earth 's temperature by many decades, and sea level rise will therefore continue to accelerate between now and 2050 in response to warming that has already happened. What happens after that depends on human greenhouse gas emissions . If there are very deep cuts in emissions, sea level rise would slow between 2050 and 2100. It could then reach by 2100 slightly over 30 cm (1 ft) from now and approximately 60 cm (2 ft) from

688-741: Is the mean sea level measured at Newlyn in Cornwall between 1915 and 1921. Before 1921, the vertical datum was MSL at the Victoria Dock, Liverpool . Since the times of the Russian Empire , in Russia and its other former parts, now independent states, the sea level is measured from the zero level of Kronstadt Sea-Gauge. In Hong Kong, "mPD" is a surveying term meaning "metres above Principal Datum" and refers to height of 0.146 m (5.7 in) above chart datum and 1.304 m (4 ft 3.3 in) below

731-534: Is used, for example, as a chart datum in cartography and marine navigation , or, in aviation, as the standard sea level at which atmospheric pressure is measured to calibrate altitude and, consequently, aircraft flight levels . A common and relatively straightforward mean sea-level standard is instead a long-term average of tide gauge readings at a particular reference location. Sea levels can be affected by many factors and are known to have varied greatly over geological time scales . Current sea level rise

774-551: The 921 earthquake destroyed the pavilion and sank most of the island. In recent years, due to increasing social and political awareness, more deference and recognition are being given to Taiwanese aborigines . As a result, after the 921 earthquake, the island was renamed in the Thao language as "Lalu". Several hydroelectric power plants have been built in the Sun Moon Lake since 1919, including Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant and Minhu Pumped Storage Hydro Power Station . When

817-643: The geoid . In the absence of external forces, the local mean sea level would coincide with this geoid surface, being an equipotential surface of the Earth's gravitational field which, in itself, does not conform to a simple sphere or ellipsoid and exhibits gravity anomalies such as those measured by NASA's GRACE satellites . In reality, the geoid surface is not directly observed, even as a long-term average, due to ocean currents, air pressure variations, temperature and salinity variations, etc. The location-dependent but time-persistent separation between local mean sea level and

860-561: The 1930s and 40s. The aboriginal village employs Taiwanese aborigines from the nine tribes with whom the visitors can engage in living history . Activities include sculpting, weaving, pottery making, cooking, knitting, exercising, handicrafts making, playing, and dancing in the tradition of the aboriginal tribes. The village represents nine aboriginal tribal cultures; it is also an amusement park that features original cultural performances, architecture, traditional clothing, hand-made crafts, etc. There are music shows and craft demonstrations in

903-973: The 19th century. With high emissions it would instead accelerate further, and could rise by 1.0 m ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 3  ft) or even 1.6 m ( 5 + 1 ⁄ 3  ft) by 2100. In the long run, sea level rise would amount to 2–3 m (7–10 ft) over the next 2000 years if warming stays to its current 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) over the pre-industrial past. It would be 19–22 metres (62–72 ft) if warming peaks at 5 °C (9.0 °F). Rising seas affect every coastal and island population on Earth. This can be through flooding, higher storm surges , king tides , and tsunamis . There are many knock-on effects. They lead to loss of coastal ecosystems like mangroves . Crop yields may reduce because of increasing salt levels in irrigation water. Damage to ports disrupts sea trade. The sea level rise projected by 2050 will expose places currently inhabited by tens of millions of people to annual flooding. Without

SECTION 20

#1732852637196

946-580: The average sea level. In France, the Marégraphe in Marseilles measures continuously the sea level since 1883 and offers the longest collated data about the sea level. It is used for a part of continental Europe and the main part of Africa as the official sea level. Spain uses the reference to measure heights below or above sea level at Alicante , while the European Vertical Reference System

989-532: The edge of the lake, connects it with the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village . The lake is a productive aquatic ecosystem. Introduced giant snakehead pose a challenge to the ecological balance of the lake and are a threat to native fish and shrimp species. The Nantou County Bureau of Agricultural Affairs has in place an eradication program for the species which attempts to electrofish schools of juvenile fish. The depiction of Sun Moon Lake

1032-484: The entire Earth, which is what systems such as GPS do. In aviation, the reference ellipsoid known as WGS84 is increasingly used to define heights; however, differences up to 100 metres (328 feet) exist between this ellipsoid height and local mean sea level. Another alternative is to use a geoid -based vertical datum such as NAVD88 and the global EGM96 (part of WGS84). Details vary in different countries. When referring to geographic features such as mountains, on

1075-455: The first hydroelectric plant was finished in 1934, it was considered to be one of the most important infrastructure constructions of the time. Wujie Dam , also completed in 1934, diverts water from the Zhuoshui River to increase hydroelectric generation at the lake. The Jiji Line railroad was built to facilitate the construction. There are three ferry piers on the lake to serve ferries on

1118-482: The geoid is referred to as (mean) ocean surface topography . It varies globally in a typical range of ±1 m (3 ft). Several terms are used to describe the changing relationships between sea level and dry land. The melting of glaciers at the end of ice ages results in isostatic post-glacial rebound , when land rises after the weight of ice is removed. Conversely, older volcanic islands experience relative sea level rise, due to isostatic subsidence from

1161-533: The gothic clock tower, the Roman fountain, the miniature train, and the Ritz palace. The garden itself has Aboriginal style patterns. The Aboriginal Village Park is the largest outdoor museum in Taiwan. It is composed of nine villages on the hillside above Amusement Isle, each representing a different aboriginal tribal community. The buildings were reconstructed based on fieldwork and blueprints drawn up by anthropologists in

1204-624: The greatest exposure to sea level rise, twelve are in Asia , including Indonesia , Bangladesh and the Philippines. The resilience and adaptive capacity of ecosystems and countries also varies, which will result in more or less pronounced impacts. The greatest impact on human populations in the near term will occur in the low-lying Caribbean and Pacific islands . Sea level rise will make many of them uninhabitable later this century. Pilots can estimate height above sea level with an altimeter set to

1247-551: The height of planetary features. Local mean sea level (LMSL) is defined as the height of the sea with respect to a land benchmark, averaged over a period of time long enough that fluctuations caused by waves and tides are smoothed out, typically a year or more. One must adjust perceived changes in LMSL to account for vertical movements of the land, which can occur at rates similar to sea level changes (millimetres per year). Some land movements occur because of isostatic adjustment to

1290-459: The lake; they are Shuishe Pier , Xuanguang Pier and Ita Thao Pier . There is also a local bus service that goes around the lake with stops at major points along the perimeter of the lake. The lake is accessible by bus from Taichung HSR station or Taichung TRA station . It is also accessible by bus from near Checheng railway station on the Jiji branch line. The Sun Moon Lake Ropeway , located at

1333-481: The melting of ice sheets at the end of the last ice age . The weight of the ice sheet depresses the underlying land, and when the ice melts away the land slowly rebounds . Changes in ground-based ice volume also affect local and regional sea levels by the readjustment of the geoid and true polar wander . Atmospheric pressure , ocean currents and local ocean temperature changes can affect LMSL as well. Eustatic sea level change (global as opposed to local change)

Sun Moon Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue

1376-534: The pilot can estimate height above ground by subtracting the terrain altitude from the altimeter reading. Aviation charts are divided into boxes and the maximum terrain altitude from MSL in each box is clearly indicated. Once above the transition altitude, the altimeter is set to the international standard atmosphere (ISA) pressure at MSL which is 1013.25 hPa or 29.92 inHg. Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village ( Chinese : 九族文化村 ; pinyin : Jiǔzú Wénhuà Cūn )

1419-534: The poles and 6,371.001 km (3,958.756 mi) on average. This flattened spheroid , combined with local gravity anomalies , defines the geoid of the Earth, which approximates the local mean sea level for locations in the open ocean. The geoid includes a significant depression in the Indian Ocean , whose surface dips as much as 106 m (348 ft) below the global mean sea level (excluding minor effects such as tides and currents). Precise determination of

1462-611: The village offers visitors the chance to enjoy many educational and recreational riches and it easily requires an entire day to experience all the village has to offer. The village is an aboriginal theme park that is composed of three major areas: the Aboriginal Village Park, the Amusement Isle, and the European Garden. The outdoor atmosphere gives visitors a glimpse of aboriginal heritage in an authentic setting by depicting

1505-420: The village's Culture Square. The village also provides visitors with the opportunity to watch traditional show performers, which are all native aborigines, Taiwanese aborigines perform traditional dances representative of Taiwan's aboriginal tribes. During the shows, the performers invite audiences to participate in onstage activities, which give audiences more opportunities to get close to them and be involved in

1548-495: The villages and lifestyles of Taiwan's nine main tribes The park is composed of three main themed areas: the amusement park "Amusement Isle", an activities area "Aboriginal Village Park", and a European garden. All of the rides except the Gondola to the aboriginal village and the steam train are located in "Amusement Isle". The European Garden (traditional Chinese : 歐洲花園) is the largest European garden in Taiwan. Notable features are

1591-411: The weight of cooling volcanos. The subsidence of land due to the withdrawal of groundwater is another isostatic cause of relative sea level rise. On planets that lack a liquid ocean, planetologists can calculate a "mean altitude" by averaging the heights of all points on the surface. This altitude, sometimes referred to as a "sea level" or zero-level elevation , serves equivalently as a reference for

1634-431: The white deer of legends is immortalized as a marble statue on Lalu Island. Under Japanese rule , the island was renamed "Jade Island" ( Japanese : 玉島 ) . After Chiang Kai-shek 's Nationalist Government moved to Taiwan, the island was renamed Kwanghwa Island ( Chinese : 光華島 ; lit. 'glorious China island') and in 1978 the local government built a pavilion where annual weddings took place. In 1999,

1677-419: The worst effects or, when populations are at extreme risk, a process of managed retreat . The term above sea level generally refers to the height above mean sea level (AMSL). The term APSL means above present sea level, comparing sea levels in the past with the level today. Earth's radius at sea level is 6,378.137 km (3,963.191 mi) at the equator. It is 6,356.752 km (3,949.903 mi) at

1720-406: Was built after rising water levels from building a dam forced several smaller temples to be removed. Tzu-En Pagoda ( 慈恩塔 ; Cí'ēn Tǎ ) was ordered constructed by late President Chiang Kai-shek in 1971 in memory of his mother. Other temples of note include Jianjing Temple, Syuentzang Temple ( 玄奘寺 ; Xuánzàng Sì ) and Syuanguang Temple ( 玄光寺 ; Xuánguāng Sì ). In older English literature, it

1763-488: Was commonly referred to as Lake Candidius after the 17th-century Dutch missionary Georgius Candidius . In the middle of the lake is the Lalu Island , which is considered holy ground by the Thao tribe . In legend, Thao hunters discovered Sun Moon Lake while chasing a white deer through the surrounding mountains. The deer eventually led them to the lake, which they found to be not only beautiful, but abundant with fish. Today,

Sun Moon Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue

1806-669: Was launched in 1983 and is listed among the Top 50 Open Water Swims in Asia and the Top 100 Open Water Swims of the World. Everyone over 10 years old and with the ability to swim long distances can join, regardless of nationality. In recent years, the participants have numbered in the tens of thousands. Other festivities held at the same time include fireworks , laser shows , and concerts . The lake and its surrounding countryside have been designated one of thirteen national scenic areas in Taiwan . Wen Wu Temple

1849-504: Was opened four years later in July 1986 with only the culture village and the European garden. The amusement park section was added in 1992. The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is a place where people can observe Taiwanese traditional tribal lifestyle and observe an abundance of aboriginal traditions. The China Post has indicated that the village sprawls across 62 hectares (150 acres); a trip to

#195804