Oceanography

Oceanography

The scientific studies of the ocean.

Industry: Earth science

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Oceanography

Sidescan sonar

Earth science; Oceanography

A form of geophysical survey which uses an acoustic imaging device used to provide wide area, high resolution pictures of the seabed. The instrument towed behind the vessel transmits acoustic ...

Seamount

Earth science; Oceanography

A seamount is a mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface (sea level), and thus is not an island. These are typically formed from extinct volcanoes, that ...

Convective instability

Earth science; Oceanography

An instability due to the buoyancy force of heavy fluid over light fluid overcoming the stabilising influence of viscous forces.

Rankine vortex

Earth science; Oceanography

An idealised vortex in unbounded fluid with uniform vorticity inside a circular patch and zero vorticity outside.

Echo-sounding

Earth science; Oceanography

A method of determining water depths by measuring the time lapse between the generation of an initial sound pulse on the ship and the return of the echo. With knowledge of the speed of sound in ...

A seasonal, eastward-flowing ocean current of the Indian Ocean. The monsoon current replaces the north equatorial current and the equatorial counter-current in summer (Northern Hemisphere), when the ...

Wind-driven current

Earth science; Oceanography

A current produced in a body of water by blowing over the water surface. It flows to the right of the wind. Sometimes called wind drift; sometimes called drift current. Considerable evidence now ...