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Oceanography
Waves, Currents, Tides, Ocean Floor
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ocean Current | the continuous, directed movements of seawater in the ocean. They play a crucial role in shaping marine ecosystems and influencing global climate patterns |
| Surface Current | the movement of water at or near the ocean's surface, caused by global wind patterns |
| Deep Current | flows of water that occur in the deep ocean, caused by density changes (temperature and salinity). They transport heat, nutrients, and gasses. |
| Wave | transfer of energy from wind to water. Can influence weathering, erosion, and deposition. |
| Wave Energy | energy that can be harnessed from ocean waves and converted into electricity. Moves from water molecule to water molecule. |
| Water Motion | can be influenced by various factors, including wind, tides, currents, temperature gradients, and the shape of the container or channel. |
| Tsunami | a series of huge ocean waves created by an underwater disturbance, such as an earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite impact. |
| Tide | rise and fall of water on the shoreline caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun |
| High Tide | when the ocean water reaches its highest level along the coast. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. |
| Low Tide | when the ocean water reaches its lowest level along the coast. |
| Spring Tide | tidal pattern that occur when the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun align at a full and new moon, resulting in higher high tides and lower low tides. STRONG TIDE. |
| Neap Tide | occur when there is the least difference between high and low tides. They happen during the first and third quarter phases of the moon. WEAK TIDE. |
| Upwelling | process in which deep, nutrient-rich waters are brought to the surface of the ocean. It is typically caused by wind-driven currents that push surface waters away from the coast, allowing the colder, nutrient-rich waters from below to rise. |
| Coriolis Effect | a phenomenon that occurs due to the rotation of the Earth. It causes air and water to curve instead of move in a straight line. |
| Salinity | the amount of salt in water |
| Continental Shelf | the shallow, submerged extension of a continent that extends from the shoreline to the continental slope. |
| Continental Slope | the steeply sloping transition between the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor. |
| Abyssal Plain | a flat, sandy plain on the deep ocean floor, usually found at depths between 3,000 and 6,000 metres. |
| Mid-ocean Ridge | underwater mountain ranges that form where tectonic plates are spreading apart (seafloor spreading, divergent boundary) |
| Volcanic Island | an active, underwater volcano that reaches the water line |
| Seamount | underwater mountains or extinct volcanoes that rise from the ocean floor |
| Trench | deep, narrow v-shaped valleys in the ocean floor. |
| Intertidal Zone | the area of the shoreline that is exposed to air during low tide and covered by water during high tide. |
| Neritic Zone | the zone of the ocean extending from the low tide mark to the edge of the continental shelf |
| Open Ocean Zone | zone characterized by deep waters, typically beyond the continental shelf |
| Ocean Topography | study and mapping of the physical features of the ocean floor |
| Oceanography | the scientific study of the ocean and its various components, including the physical, chemical, and biological aspects. |
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