Localized uplift, widespread subsidence and implications for sea level rise in the NYC Metropolitan Area

Regional relative sea level rise is exacerbating flooding hazards in the coastal zone. In addition to changes in the ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere, vertical land motion is a driver of spatial variation in sea-level change that can either diminish or enhance flood risk. Here we apply Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) time-series analysis to estimate velocities and corresponding uncertainties at 30 m resolution in the New York City Metropolitan Area. We find broad subsidence, consistent with glacial isostatic adjustment to the melting of the former ice sheets, and hotspots of both subsidence and uplift that can be physically explained in some locations.. Our results can inform ongoing efforts to adapt to sea-level rise and reveal hitherto unobserved hotspots that motivate future science and applications.