AICE MARINE VOCAB

estuary

enclosed tidal, coastal of water where freshwater meets seawater

littoral zone

bottom zone between highest and lowest spring tide water marks on shoreline.

mantle

molten rock within interior of the earth between core and crust

plate tectonics

when large sections of earths crust in constant movement causing earthquakes

mid ocean ridge

mountain range w central valley on ocean floor between two plates, new crust forms.

paleomagnetic stripes

pattern magnetic stripes on ocean floor due reversal in magnetic field floor spreading

convergent boundary

2 or more tectonic plates come together

divergent boundary

2 plates move away from eachother

subduction

lithospheric plates slide under at convergent plate boundary

trench

narrow long depression on ocean floor steep sides caused by convergent

hydrothermal vent

cold water seeps through earth crust heated by magma

transform boundary

2 plates move antiparallel creating friction

tsunami

seismic wave created by underwater earthquake great height

weathering 

wearing down, breaking rock through chemical or organic means

erosion

natural process material worn away from surface and transported else where

sedimentation

deposition of suspended water from particles

deposition

sediments are added to a landmass

delta

low lying area at the mouth of a river formed by deposition