Vertical land motion (Q1144)

Subject, term, tag: Vertical land motion

Vertical land motion (VLM)

Language	Label	Description	Also known as
English	Vertical land motion	Subject, term, tag: Vertical land motion	Vertical land motion (VLM)

Statements

Instance of

Category

source version

IPCC Glossary v1.5

1 reference

Source

https://apps.ipcc.ch/glossary/

date accessed

27 May 2026

Part of

Working Group I: Climate Change 2021 – The Physical Science Basis

0 references

Definition

The change in height of the land surface or the sea floor and can have several causes in addition to elastic deformation associated with contemporary changes in gravity, rotation and viscoelastic solid Earth deformation (GRD) and viscoelastic deformation associated with glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). Subsidence (sinking of the land surface or sea floor) can, for instance, occur through compaction of alluvial sediments in deltaic regions, removal of fluids such as gas, oil, and water, or drainage of peatlands. Tectonic deformation of the Earth’s crust can occur as a result of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. (English)