Studied by 5 people
Unit 1 - Water Planet
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Tropic of Cancer
an imaginary line that circles the Earth at 23.5 degrees north of the equator
Tropic of Capricorn
an imaginary line that circles the Earth at 23.5 degrees South of the equator
Winter Solstice
December 21, shortest day of the year
Summer Solstice
June 21, longest day of the year
Autumnal Equinox
September 21
Vernal Equinox
March 21
Solar Day
every 24 hours, the Earth completes one full rotation
Revolution
occurs every 365 ¼ days
Latitude
lines run from east to west
Longitude
lines run from north to south; all lines of longitude are Great Circles
Parallel
another name for latitude lines
Equator
imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere
Great Circle
a circle on the earth's surface which has its center in the center of the earth
Prime Meridian
imaginary line that represents 0 degrees longitude
International Date Line
an imaginary line that runs roughly along the 180° longitude in the Pacific Ocean (opposite of Prime Meridian)
Nautical Mile
a unit of measurement used in navigation and is equal to one minute of latitude
Contour
the depth (below sea level) or the elevation (above sea level) with a series of contour lines
Topography
the physical features or characteristics of a surface or area
Bathymetry
the measurement and mapping of the depth and topography of underwater surfaces, such as oceans, seas, and lakes
Physiographic Map
show physical features
Fathom
a unit of measurement used to determine the depth of water
Unit 2 - Geology and Plate Tectonics
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Mineral
naturally occurring, non-living substances
Igneous
forms when molten rock cools and solidifies; extrusive and intrusive
Sedimentary
formed through the accumulation and consolidation of sediments over time; clastic and non-clastic
Metamorphic
forms from the transformation of pre-existing rocks due to high temperature and pressure; foliated and non-foliated
Pangea
the shapes of continents fit together
Continental Drift
plates are moving
Plate Tectonics
plates move independently in different directions, at different times and speds
Lithosphere
crust
Asthenoshpere
mantle
Convection Cell
magma heats, rises, cools, and sinks
Seafloor Spreading
areas where magma pushes up through crust and cools as new land; divergent boundaries only occur at mid-ocean ridges
Magnetic Reversal
the Earth has a magnetic field generated by the core
Transform Fault Boundary
plates slide together; ex. San Andreas Fault
Subduction Zone
a tectonic boundary where two lithospheric plates converge, and one plate is forced beneath the other and into the Earth's mantle
Divergent Plate Boundary
locations where tectonic plates are moving away from each other
Convergent Plate Boundary
a convergent plate boundary is a type of tectonic boundary where two lithospheric plates are moving towards each other; this collision can occur between two oceanic plates, two continental plates, or an oceanic plate and a continental plate
Hot Spot
an area on Earth over a mantle plume or an area under the rocky outer layer of Earth, called the crust, where magma is hotter than surrounding magma; widespread volcanic activity
Geothermal
renewable energy source that has the potential to meet various energy demands; it involves harnessing heat from the Earth's interior to generate electricity or provide heating and cooling
Unit 3 - Bathymetry & Sedimentation
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Continental Margin
area between the edge of land and descension
Continental Shelf
flat (not completely) place between the land and ocean basin; the continental shelf boundary is defined by an abrupt change in slope and a rapid increase in depth (continental shelf break)
Continental Slope
the steep extension to the ocean basin
Submarine Canyons
dramatic features on the continental slope; formed by rivers of melting glaciers
Trenches
located on the sea side of island arcs and created by subductions of a dense oceanic plate and a light continental plate
Abyssal Hills
found on abyssal plains, not high, define features
Guyots
older seamounts that have undergone wave erosion
Echo Sounder
produces a sound that is transmitted out of the hole of the boat, bounces off the bottom and is received again at the hole of the ship
Turbidity Currents
moving flow of sediment and water that travels down through submarine canyons and leaves ripple marks on the floor
Turbidities
layered deposits found along the canyon and abyssal fan
Isobath
underwater contour lines
Contour Line
a line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level
Lithogenous Sediment
sediments derived from rock
Biogenous Sediment
sediments derived from the remains of living organisms
Hydrogenous Sediment
produced in seawater by chemical processes
Cosmogenous Sediment
come from the atmosphere
Terrigenous Sediment
derived from the erosion of rocks on land
Ooze
if sediments are made up of more than 30% biogenous sediments
Neritic Sediment
come from land and sea sources, found in shallow waters
Pelagic Sediment
deposited far from land
Dredge Grab Sampler
a net or wire basket that is dragged across the bottom to collect loose material or shells in a random manner
Corer
a weighted hollow pipe with a sharp end that pierces the sediments, providing a cylinder of mud (oldest ↑, newest ↓)
CCD (Calcium Carbonate Compensation Depth)
calcareous deposits are only found to the depth of the approximately 4500m
Note 
Flashcard (25)