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Oceanography
Chap11
Question | Answer |
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Amphidromic point | A "no tide" point in an ocean caused by basin resonances, friction and other factors around which tide crests rotate. About a dozen amphidromic points exist in the world ocean. Sometimes called nodes. |
Aphelion | The point in the orbit of a satellite where it is farthest from the sun; opposite of perihelion. |
Apogee | The point in the orbit of a satellite where it is farthest from the main body; opposite of perigee. |
Astronomical tide | Tides caused by inertia and the gravitational force of the sun and moon. |
Diurnal tide | A tidal cycle of one high tide and one low tide per day . |
Dynamic theory of tides | Model of tides that takes into account the effects of finite ocean depth, basin resonances, ans the interference of continents on tide waves. |
Ebb current | Water rushing out of an enclosed harbor or bay because of the fall in sea level as a tide trough approaches. |
Equilibrium theory of tides | Idealized model of tides that considers Earth to be covered by an ocean of great and uniform depth capable of instantaneous response to the gravitational and inertial forces of the sun and moon. |
Flood current | Water rushing into an enclosed harbor or bay because of the rise in sea level as a tide crest approaches. |
High tide | The high- water position corresponding to a tidal crest. |
Low tide | The low water position corresponding to a tidal trough. |
Lunar tide | Tide caused by gravitational and inertial interaction of the moon and Earth. |
Mean sea level | The height of the ocean surface averaged over a few years' time. |
Meteorological tide | A tide influenced by the weather. Arrival of a storm surge will alter the estimate of a tide's height or arrival time, as will a strong, steady onshore or offshore wind. |
Mixed tide (or semi diurnal tide) | A complex tidal cycle, usually with two high tides and two low tides of unequal height per day. |
Neap tide | The tide of the smallest variation between high and low tides occurring when Earth, moon, and sun align at right angles. Neap tides alternate with spring tides, occurring at two week intervals. |
Perigee | The point of orbit of a satellite where it is closest to the main body; opposit of apogee. |
Perihelion | The point of orbit of a satellite where it is closest to the main body; opposite of aphelion. |
Semi diurnal tide | A tidal cycle of two high tides and two low tides each lunar day, with the high tides of nearly equal height. |
Slack water | A time of no tide- induced currents that occurs when the current changes direction. |
Solar tide | Tide caused by the gravitational and inertial interaction of the sun and Earth. |
Spring tide | The time of greatest variation between high and low tides occurring when Earth, moon and sun form a straight line. Spring tides alternate with neap tides throughout the year, occurring at two week intervals. |
Tidal bore | A high, often breaking wave generated by a tide rest that advances rapidly up an estuary or river. |
Tidal current | Mass flow of water induced by the raising or lowering of sea level owing to passage of tidal crests or troughs. |
Tidal datum | The reference level (0.0) from which tidal height is measured. |
Tidal range | The difference in height between consecutive high and low tides. |
Tidal wave | The crest of the wave causing tides; another name for a tidal bore; not a tsunami or a seismic wave. |
Tide | Periodic short-term change in the height of the ocean surface at a particular place, generated by long-wavelength progressive waves that are caused by the interaction of gravitational force and inertia. |