oceanography (copy)

Coriolis Effect

The deflection of moving air and water caused by the Earth's rotation, resulting in a curving motion to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Charles' Law

The relationship between the volume of a gas and its temperature, assuming constant pressure. It states that when the temperature of a gas increases, its volume also increases, and vice versa, as long as pressure remains constant.

Boyle's Law

The relationship between the pressure of a gas and its volume when the temperature is kept constant. It states that if the volume of a gas decreases, its pressure increases, and if the volume increases, its pressure decreases, provided that the temperature remains constant.

El Niño

A climate phenomenon characterized by the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, leading to various global weather impacts.

La Niña

The phenomenon marked by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in contrasting weather patterns.

ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone)

A region near the equator where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge, characterized by rising warm, moist air and the development of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.

Low-Pressure Systems

Areas where the atmospheric pressure is lower than the surrounding areas, associated with rising air, cloud formation, and often precipitation.

High-Pressure Systems

Areas where the atmospheric pressure is higher than the surrounding regions, resulting in descending air, clear skies, and stable atmospheric conditions.

Northern Hemisphere Hurricanes

Hurricanes that rotate counterclockwise, with winds circulating counterclockwise around the eye of the storm.

Southern Hemisphere Hurricanes

Hurricanes that rotate clockwise, with winds circulating clockwise around the eye of the storm.

Orographic Lifting

The process by which moist air is forced to rise over elevated terrain, leading to cloud formation and precipitation on the windward side of mountains.

Biological Pump

The transfer of carbon from the surface ocean to the deep ocean through the actions of marine organisms, primarily driven by phytoplankton.

Color of Productive Ocean Water

The greenish-blue or blue-green color of ocean water, indicating the presence of phytoplankton and the health and fertility of marine ecosystems.

Ocean Fertilization

The intentional introduction of nutrients into specific oceanic regions to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton and enhance carbon capture from the atmosphere.

Carbon Sequestration

The process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including through the biological pump and other ocean-based methods.

Ocean Acidification

The lowering of ocean pH due to increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, with detrimental effects on marine life and ecosystems.

Ekman Spiral

A theoretical model describing the distribution of water velocities in the ocean as a function of depth and distance from the wind's surface, influenced by the Coriolis effect and friction.

Ekman Transport

The net movement of water perpendicular to the wind direction, contributing to the formation of geostrophic currents and the redistribution of water within the ocean.

Coastal Upwelling

The phenomenon in which deep, nutrient-rich waters rise to the surface along coastlines, supporting biologically productive marine ecosystems.

Coastal Downwelling

Occurring when surface winds blow onshore, causing surface water to converge and sink, resulting in warmer surface waters and lower biological productivity.

Langmuir Circulation

Wind-driven, counter-rotating, parallel rows of circulatory cells on the ocean's surface, responsible for the formation of distinctive surface patterns or streaks.

Eddies

Circular, rotating water masses within the ocean, formed by the interaction of complex ocean currents, important for redistributing heat, nutrients, and properties within the ocean.

Gyres

Large, rotating oceanic circulation systems driven by the Coriolis effect and wind patterns, responsible for the movement of surface waters in a circular manner.

Geostrophic Currents

Horizontal currents flowing parallel to lines of constant pressure, resulting from a balance between the Coriolis effect and pressure gradients.

Gulf Stream

A powerful warm ocean current in the North Atlantic Ocean, responsible for redistributing heat and influencing climate and weather patterns along the East Coast of North America and Western Europe.

North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW)

A deep, cold, and dense water mass formed in the North Atlantic, contributing to the global thermohaline circulation and the transportation of heat and nutrients.

Antarctic Bottom Water

A dense, cold water mass formed near Antarctica, filling the deep ocean basins and playing a vital role in the global ocean circulation and the Earth's climate system.

Antarctic Circumpolar Current

The world's strongest ocean current, flowing eastward around Antarctica, acting as a barrier separating cold Antarctic waters from warmer subtropical waters and regulating heat and carbon dioxide exchange.

Western Boundary Currents

Warm, fast-flowing currents located on the western side of ocean basins, transporting warm water poleward and influencing regional climates and weather patterns.

Eastern Boundary Currents

Cooler, slower-moving currents located on the eastern side of ocean basins, transporting cold, nutrient-rich water equatorward and supporting productive marine ecosystems.

Thermohaline Circulation

The global ocean circulation driven by differences in water density due to temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline), playing a crucial role in redistributing heat and maintaining the Earth's climate system.

Thermohaline circulation

A global system of ocean currents driven by differences in temperature and salinity, responsible for redistributing heat, nutrients, and dissolved gases in the world's oceans.

Crest

The highest point of a wave.

Trough

The lowest point of a wave.

Wave Height

The vertical distance between the crest and the trough of a wave.

Wavelength

The horizontal distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave.

Wave Amplitude

Half of the wave height, representing the distance from the wave's resting position to either the crest or the trough.

Wave Period

The time it takes for one complete wave to pass a fixed point, from crest to crest or trough to trough.

Wave Frequency

The number of waves passing a point in one second, the reciprocal of the wave period.

Wave Refraction

The bending of waves as they approach the shore or encounter variations in water depth, causing changes in wave direction.

Wave Diffraction

The bending of waves around obstacles or through openings, leading to the spreading of wave energy into new areas.

Wave Interference

The interaction between two or more wave trains, resulting in constructive or destructive interference and changes in wave size.

Shallow Waves

Waves characterized by a water depth that is less than half of their wavelength, influenced by the bottom and wave speed primarily determined by depth.

Deep Waves

Waves with a water depth greater than half of their wavelength, not influenced by the bottom, and wave speed determined by wavelength and period.

Capillary Wave

Very small ripples on the water's surface caused by surface tension, typically less than 1.73 cm in wavelength.

Seiche

A standing wave in an enclosed or semi-enclosed body of water, caused by factors like wind, atmospheric pressure changes, or geological events.

Storm Surge

A temporary rise in sea level along the coast caused by strong onshore winds and low atmospheric pressure, often associated with hurricanes or cyclones.

Rogue Wave

Unexpectedly large and steep waves that can occur at sea, often much larger than the surrounding waves and posing a danger to ships.

Tsunami

Long-period ocean waves usually generated by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides, capable of growing in height and becoming destructive near the coast.

Aphelion

The point in an object's orbit when it is farthest from the Sun.

Perihelion

The point in an object's orbit when it is closest to the Sun.

Apogee

The point in the orbit of a celestial body when it is farthest from the Earth.

Perigee

The point in the orbit of a celestial body when it is closest to the Earth.

Gravity Equation

The equation describing the force of gravity between two objects, given by Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation.

Force that Causes the Rotation of the Moon and Earth

The initial angular momentum of celestial bodies, leading to their rotation due to the conservation of angular momentum during the formation of the solar system.

Tide-Generating Force

The differential gravitational attraction of the Moon and the Sun on different parts of the Earth, causing the bulging of ocean water and the creation of tides.

Spring Tide

Occurs during a full moon or a new moon when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned, resulting in higher high tides and lower low tides due to reinforced gravitational forces.

Neap Tide

Occurs during the first and third quarter moons when the Sun, Moon, and Earth form a right angle, leading to lower high tides and higher low tides due to partially canceled gravitational forces.

Diurnal Tide

Consists of one high tide and one low tide each day, with a period of approximately 24 hours and 50 minutes.

Semidiurnal Tide

Has two high tides and two low tides each day, occurring in roughly 12-hour intervals.

Mixed Tide

Exhibits characteristics of both diurnal and semidiurnal tides, resulting in unequal high tides and low tides on different days.

Top layer “surface mixed layer”:

Often warm and without many nutrients

Stratification

The separation of surface waters and deep into layers by
distinct differences in temperature and salinity occur

Salinity

driving mechanism for circulation in the deep ocean.

Ocean layers

Surface
Central (from 0 to 1 km)
Intermediate
Deep water (> 2 km) , e.g. North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), Pacific
Deep Water (PCD)*
Bottom water Atlantic Bottom Water

Centripetal force

The tendency of an object following a
curved path to fly towards the center
of curvature.

Tide

The rise and fall in sea level.