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Earth Science Tarbuck 12 Ed. Chapter 15
Earth Science Vocabulary Tarbuck 12 Ed. Chapter 15
20
Science
Undergraduate 1
02/03/2011

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Term
Ocean Currents
Definition
Masses of ocean water that flow from one place to another
Term
Gyres
Definition
=Circle
Huge, circular- moving current systems dominated the surfaces of the oceans, large whirls of water within an ocean basin.
Term
Corilois effect
Definition
The wint is the force that generates surface currents, other factors also influence the movement of ocean water.
Term
North Pacific Gyre
Definition
North Pacific Current, California Current, North Equatorial Current, Kuroshio Current
Term
North Atlantic Current
Definition
North Atlantic current, Canary Current, North Equatorial current, Gulf Stream
Term
West Wind Drift
Definition
The only current that completely encircles the Earth
Term
Upwelling
Definition
The rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water, is common wind- induced vertical movement.
Term
Coastal Upwelling
Definition
The most characteristic along the west coast of continents, california, South America, West Africa.
Term
Thermohaline Circulation
Definition
Deep ocean circulation, caused by the difference in temperatures and salinity, density. Most water involved begins in high latitudes at the surface.
Term
Interface
Definition
Common boundary where different parts of a system interact.
Term
Ocean waves
Definition
Energy traveling along the interface between ocean and atmosphere, often transfering energy from a storm far out at sea.
Term
Crest
Definition
Top of the wave
Term
Troughs
Definition
Separate the crests.
Term
Still water level
Definition
The level that the water would occupy if there were no waves, halfway between the crest and the troughs
Term
Wave height
Definition
Vertical distance between trough and crest
Term
Wave period
Definition
The time it takes one full wave- one wave length - to pass a fixed position
Term
Wavelength
Definition
Horizontal distance between successive crests
Term
3 factors of a wave
Definition
1. Wind speed
2. Length of time the wind has blown
3. Fetch
Term
Fetch
Definition
The distance that the wave
Term
Fetch
Definition
The distance that the wave
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