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Definition
| The horizontal transfer of air. |
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Definition
| The difference in barometric pressure that exists between adjacent zones of low and high pressure that results in airflow. |
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Definition
| The force created by the Earth's rotation that causes winds to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. |
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| Airflow that moves parallel to isobars because of the combined effect of the pressure gradient force and Coriolis force. |
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Definition
| Core of low-pressure zone assosciated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone. |
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Term
| Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) |
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Definition
| Band of low pressure, calm winds, and clouds in tropical latitudes where air converges from the southern and northern hemispheres. |
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Definition
| Large-scale convection loop in the tropical latitudes that connects the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the Subtropical High (STH). |
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Definition
| The seasonal change in subtropical locations due to the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and Subtropical High (STH) Pressure System. |
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Definition
| The global oceanic circulatory system that is driven by differences in salinity. |
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Definition
| a warm ocean current that flows along the equator from the date line and south off the coast of Ecuador at Christmas time |
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Definition
| Peruvian current: a cold ocean current that flows north along the Pacific Coast of South America before turning west, bringing a rich variety of fish and shrimp close to the South American shoreline. |
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Definition
| The process through which water changes directly from ice to the vapor phase. |
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Definition
| The temperature at which condensation occurs in a definable body of air. |
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Definition
| The process through which water changes from the liquid to vapor phase. |
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Definition
| The passage of water from leaf pores to the atmosphere. |
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Definition
| The rate at which an unsaturated body if air cools while lifting or warms while descending. This rate is 10 or 5.5f/1000m |
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Term
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Definition
| The rate at which a saturated body of air cools as it lifts. The average rate is 5c or 2.7f/1000m |
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Definition
| The process through which water changes from the vapor to liquid phase. |
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Definition
| Fog that develops at night when a temperature inversion exists. |
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Term
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Definition
| Fog develops when warm air flows over cooler air. |
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Definition
| A large body of air in the lower atmosphere that has distinct temperature and humidity characteristics. |
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Definition
| A frontal boundary where warm air is advancing into relatively cool air. The front is typically associated with slow, steady precipitation. |
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Definition
| A frontal boundary where cold air is advancing into relatively warm air. This front is typically associated with intense rain of short duration. |
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Definition
| The area where a cold front begins to overtake a warm front and thus lift warm surface air aloft. |
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Definition
| Large thunderstorms that contain winds moving in opposing directions and are associated with strong winds, lightning, thunder, and sometimes hail and tornadoes. |
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Definition
| The diagnostic feature in Doppler radar indicating strong rotation is occurring within a thunderstorm and tornado development is thus possible. |
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Definition
| A slow-moving trough of low pressure that develops within the tropical latitudes. |
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Definition
| A tropical low-pressure system with central sustained winds ranging between 20 knots and 34 knots (23mph-39mph) |
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Definition
| A tropical circulatory system with maximum sustained winds greater than 63 knots (73mph) |
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Definition
| A scale of tornado severity with numbers from 0 to 6, based on the degree of observed damage |
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Term
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Definition
| The intensity scale used to quantify the strength of tropical cyclones, ranging from Category 1 (maximum sustained 10-minute mean windspeeds) of 64 – 82 kts, to Category 5 (>135 kts). |
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Definition
| The layer of earths interior that lies between the liquid outer core and the crust. This area is about 2900km (1800mi) thick and consists largely of silicate rock. |
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Term
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Definition
| The layer of very soft rock that occurs in the upper part of the mantle. This region is about 40km to 250km (25mi to 105mi) below the surface of earth. The soft character of this rock allows isotatic adjustments to occur. |
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Term
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Definition
| Balsatic part of Earth's crust that makes up the ocean basins. It is about 8km (5mi) thick and is also called sima because it consists largely of silica and magnesium. |
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Term
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Definition
| Granitic part of the Earth's crust that makes up the continents. Continental crust averages about 40 km (25mi) in thickness and is also called sial because it consists largely of silica and aluminum. |
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Definition
| Rocks that form when magma cools on the Earth's surface. |
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Definition
| Rocks that form when magma cools within the Earth's surface. |
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Definition
| Rocks that form through the deposition and lithification of small fragments or dissolved substances from other rocks, or in some cases, marine animals. |
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Definition
| Rocks that form when igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks are subjected to intense heat and pressure. |
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Definition
| The hypothetical supercontinent, composed of all the present continents, that existed between 300 and 200 million years ago. |
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Definition
| The theory that continents move relative to one another in association with plate tectonics. |
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Definition
| The spreading apart of the Earth's crust by magma rising between fractures in the Earth's plates. |
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Definition
| The process by which one lithospheric plate is forced beneath another. This usually happens when oceanic crust descends beneath continental crust |
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Definition
| A period of mountain building, such as the Alleghany Orogeny. |
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Definition
| Shaking of the Earth's surface due to the instantaneous release of accumulated stress along a fault plane or from underground movements within a volcano. |
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Term
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Definition
| A crack in the Earth's crust that results in the displacement of one lithospheric plate or rock body relative to another. |
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Definition
| The logarithmic scale used to measure the strength of an earthquake. |
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Definition
| A destructive sea wave caused by disturbance within the ocean, such as earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide. |
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