14 Terms
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Physical oceanography
The scientific study of the physical conditions and processes related to the motions and physical properties of ocean currents and waters.
Industry: Earth science
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Physical oceanography
epicontinental sea
Earth science; Physical oceanography
A shallow sea on a wide portion of a continental shelf or in the interior of a continent. The former type is also known as a shelf sea.
Taylor-Proudman theorem
Earth science; Physical oceanography
A two-dimensional fluid flow theorem that states that geostrophic motion of a homogeneous fluid will be the same in all planes perpendicular to the axis of rotation. This has also been known as the ...
degenerate amphidromic point
Earth science; Physical oceanography
An amphidromic point whose center or nodal point appears to be located over land rather than water.
Kelvin wave
Earth science; Physical oceanography
A type of coastally trapped wave motion where the velocity normal to the coast vanishes everywhere. The wave is nondispersive and propagates parallel to the shore with the speed of shallow water ...
Gelbstoff
Earth science; Physical oceanography
Dissolved material in sea water that is resistant to bacterial attack. Its name comes from the yellow color it imparts to the water. Brown algae, the principal algae group growing in coastal waters ...
Spice experiment
Earth science; Physical oceanography
Experiment research on the upper layers of the ocean to observe the spiciness, including mixed-layer on the horizontal scale from 10 m to 1 000 miles. the objectives of the experiment are: Spice a ...
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Earth science; Physical oceanography
A branch of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce whose mission is to promote global environmental stewardship to conserve and wisely manage the nation's marine and coastal resources, and to describe monitor, ...
