Oceanography

Oceanography

The scientific studies of the ocean.

Industry: Earth science

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Oceanography

Stratification

Earth science; Oceanography

The arrangement of water masses in a lake or other body of water into two or more horizontal layers having different characteristics.

Seasonal cycle

Earth science; Oceanography

The annual cyclical pattern in any atmospheric variable, whether temperature or trace gas concentration, caused by the seasons. Also called an annual cycle. The seasonal cycle or seasonal ...

Fetch

Earth science; Oceanography

The area in which ocean waves are generated by the wind. It is generally delineated by coast lines, fronts , or areas of wind curvature or divergence.

Feeling bottom

Earth science; Oceanography

The action of a deep-water wave on running into shoal water and beginning to be influenced by the bottom.

Footprint

Earth science; Oceanography

The amount of geographical space covered by an object. e.g. The sediment footprint is the area over which suspended sediment settles out of the sediment plume.

Emission spectrum

Earth science; Oceanography

The array of wavelengths and relative intensities of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a given radiator. Each radiating substance has a unique, characteristic emission spectrum, just as every ...

Geostrophic balance

Earth science; Oceanography

The balance of the horizontal pressure gradient and the acceleration provided by the spinning of Earth; i.e., the Coriolis force. The horizontal pressure gradient arises because of differential ...