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Oceanography Ch 06
Structure and Composition of the Atmosphere
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| solar constant | rate at which solar radiation is received on a unit surface that is perpendicular to the direction of incident radiation just outside Earth’s atmosphere at Earth’s mean distance from the Sun; equal to 2 cal/cm2/min. |
| heat budget | accounting for the total amount of the Sun’s heat received on Earth during one year as being exactly equal to the total amount lost because of radiation and reflection. |
| Sea ice | ice formed from freezing of seawater. The freezing process generally doesn’t start until seawater temperature falls to about —1.8°C (28.8°F). |
| troposphere | the lowest layer of the atmosphere, where the temperature decreases with altitude about 12 km |
| stratosphere | the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere where temperature is constant or increases with altitude about 12 km - 50 km |
| ozone | a form of oxygen that absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the Sun; O3. |
| atmospheric pressure | pressure, at any point on Earth, exerted by the atmosphere as a consequence of gras itational force exerted on the column of air lying directly above the point…average pressure at sea level 1013.25 bars or 14.7 psi |
| isobar | line of constant pressure. |
| low pressure zone | density of air is less than average |
| high pressure zone | density of air is greater than average |
| greenhouse effect | the gradual increase in average global temperature caused by the absorption of infrared radiation from Earth’s surface by “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere such as water vapor and carbon dioxide. |
| Coriolis effect | force acting on a body in motion, due to the rotation of Earth, causing deflection to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere; the force is proportional to the speed and varies with latitude of the moving body. |
| trade winds | wind systems that occupy most of the tropics and blow from approximately 30°N and 30°S toward the equator; winds are northeasterly in the Northern Hemisphere and southeasterly in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| westerlies | wind systems blowing from the west between latitudes of approximately 30°N and 60°N and 30°S and 60°S; southwesterly in the Northern Hemisphere and northwesterly in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| polar easterlies | winds blowing from the poles toward approximately 60°N and 60°S; winds are northeasterly in the Northern Hemisphere and southeasterly in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| doldrums | nautical term fur the belt of light, variable winds near the equator. |
| horse latitudes | regions of calms and variable winds that coincide with latitudes 30°—35°N and S. |
| monsoon | regions of calms and variable winds that coincide with latitudes 30°—35°N and S. |
| onshore winds | winds in the direction toward the shore |
| offshore winds | winds in the direction toward the sea |
| Iceberg | mass of land ice that has broken away from a glacier and floats in the sea. |
| rain shadow | an area of low precipitation on the leeward (or sheltered) side of an island or mountain. Precipitation occurs on the windward side as the air is forced to ascend the side of the island or mountain so the descending air on the leeward side is dry. |
| orographic effect | precipitation patterns caused by the flow of air over mountains |
| hurricane | severe, cyclonic, tropical storm at sea, with winds of 120 kin (73 ml) per hour or more; generally applied to Atlantic Ocean storms. |
| Storm Surge | elevation of the sea surface beneath the center of a hurricane or typhoon caused by the intense low pressure of the storm. |
| typhoon | severe, cyclonic, tropical storm originating in the western Pacific Ocean, particularly in the vicinity of the South China Sea |
| cyclone | severe, cyclonic, tropical storm originating in the western Pacific Ocean, particularly in the vicinity of the Indian Ocean |
| El Niño- | wind-driven reversal of the Pacific equatorial currents, resulting in the movement of warm water toward the coasts of the Americas, so called because it generally develops just after Christmas. |
| Southern Oscillation | a periodic reversal of the low- and high-pressure areas that typically dominate the eastern and western equatorial Pacific, respectively. |
| CFC | chlorofluorcarbons…compound thought to be the reason for ozone depletion…chlorine disassociates to destroy tri atomic oxygen… |
| Nitrogen | gas that accounts for 78% of all atmospheric gases… |
| Oxygen | gas that accounts for 21% of all atmospheric gases… |
| Carbon dioxide | gas that accounts for 0.035% of all atmospheric gases… |
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