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Oceanography FINAL
Chapters 10, 11, 13-18 and Midterms I and II
108
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 3
03/19/2013

Additional Environmental Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Generating Force
Definition
A pulse of energy introduced and waves are produed. The waves produced by the generating force move away from the point of disturbance. Wind and friction between air and water.
Term
Restoring Force
Definition
The force that causes water to return to its undisturbed surface level.
Term
Surface tension
Definition
The elastic quality of the surface due to the cohesive behavior of the water molecules.
Term
Capillary Waves (ripples)
Definition
Small waves restored by surface tension.
Term
Crest
Definition
The part of the wave that is elevated the highest above the undisturbed sea surface.
Term
Trough
Definition
The part that is depressed the lowest below the surface.
Term
Wavelength
Definition
The distance between two successive crests or tw successive troughs.
Term
Wave Height
Definition
The vertical distance from the top of the crest to the bottom of the trough. (Amplitude is equal to 1/2 of the wave height)
Term
Period
Definition
The time required fro two successive crests or troughs to pass a point in space.
Term
What is the formula for speed?
Definition
Speed (C) = Length of the wave (L) / Period (T)
Term
Deep Water Waves
Definition

The wave must occur in water that is deeper than one-half the wave's length.

[image]

Term
Particle Orbits
Definition
A path for water particles caused by motion (rising, falling, moving forward, reversing direction, and rising again) as a wave passes. Causes a floating object to bob or move up and down.
Term
Free Waves
Definition
Winds that continues to move at it natural speed after its generation by a force.
Term
Swell
Definition
Long and relatively uniform wind-generated ocean waves that have traveled out of their generating area.
Term
Dispersion (sorting)
Definition
sorting of waves as they move out from one storm center; occurs because long-period waves travel faster in deep water than short period.
Term
group speed
Definition
speed at which wave energy is transported away from its source under deep water conditions.
Term
Storm Center
Definition
Area of origin for surface waves generated by the wind; an intense atmospheric low-pressure system. Waves flow in a cirular patter and move outward away from the storm in all directions.
Term
What is he difference in the speed of deep water waves?
Definition

For deep-water waves, the speed of energy propagation is different than the speed of the wave crests and troughs.
                               [image]

Term
Shallow Water Wave
Definition

Whent he waves enters water with a depth of less than 1/20th of the wavelength. 

 

[image]

Term
episodic waves
Definition
An abnormally high wave that occurs because of a combination of intersceting wave trains, changing depths and currents.
Term
Wave Steepness
Definition
Ratio of wave height to wavlength.
Term
Refraction
Definition
Bending of waves because of variation in wave speed
Term
Diffraction
Definition
Process that transmits energy literally along a wave crest.
Term
Rip Currents
Definition
strong surface current flowing seaward from shore; the return movement of water piled up on the shore by incoming waves and wind.
Term
Tsunami (sesmic sea wave)
Definition
Long period sea wave produced by a submarine earthquake, volcanic eruption, sediment slide, or seafloor faulting. It may travel across the ocean for thousands of miles unnoticed from its point of origin and build up to great heights over shallow water the shore.
Term
Potential Energy
Definition
Due to the change in elevation of the surface water.
Term
Kinetic Energy
Definition
Due to the motion of the wave particles.
Term
During wave refraction, wave rays bend...
Definition
in regions of low wave velocity.
Term
Breakers
Definition
Sea surface water wave that has become too steep to be stable and collapses. (plungers- form on narrow steep beach slopes and spillers- form over wider, flatter beaches energy is extracted more gradually)
Term
Internal wave
Definition
wave created below the sea surface at the boundary between two density layers
Term
Standing Wave
Definition
Type of wave in whcih the surface of the water oscillates vertically between fixed points called nodes, without progression; the points of mximum vertical rise and fall are called antinodes.
Term
nodes
Definition
point of least or zero vertical motion in a standing wave.
Term
antinode
Definition
portion of standing wave with maximum vertical motion.
Term
Seiche
Definition
Standing wave oscillation of an enclosed or semienclosed body of water that continues, pendulum fashion, after the generating force ceases.
Term
Diurnal Tide (declinational tide)
Definition
Tide with one high water and one low water each tidal day.
Term
Semidiurnal Tide
Definition
Tide with two high waters and two low waters each tidal day.
Term
Semidiurnal mixed tide
Definition
Type of tide in which large inwqualities between the two high waters and the two low waters occur in a tidal day.
Term
Tidal Datum
Definition
Mean low water; zero depth reference
Term
High water
Definition
the greatest height to which a tide rises on any day.
Term
Low Water
Definition
The lowest point to which a tide drops
Term
Flood Tide
Definition
A rising tide
Term
Ebb tide
Definition
A falling tide
Term
tidal currents
Definition
currents associated with rising and falling coastal waters
Term
Slack water
Definition
A period where the tide turens or changes from an ebb tide to a flood tide or vice versa. Current become slow and then reverses.
Term
Equilibrium Tidal Theory
Definition
Tides are conisdered as ideal waves behaving uniformly in response to the laws of physics.
Term
centripetal force
Definition
the gravitational force of the Sun or Moon that holds the Earth in orbit. It is a constant.
Term
How long is a tidal day?
Definition
24 hours and fifteen minutes. Motion of the Moon around the Earth.
Term
tide wave
Definition
long-period gravity wave that has it's origin in the tide-producing force and is observed as the rise and fall of the tide. A tide waves is about 12 hours and 45 minutes.
Term
Spring Tide
Definition
Tides occurring near the times of the new and full Moon, when the range of the tide is greatest.
Term
Neap Tides
Definition
Tides occurring near the times of the first and last quarters of the moon, when the range of the tide is the least.
Term
Forced Wave
Definition
A wave generated by a continuously acting force and caused to move at a speed faster than it freely travels.
Term
Free Wave
Definition
a wave that continues to move at its natural spped after its generation by a force.
Term
Progressive Tide
Definition
tide wave moving across the sea surface like shallow water
Term
Cotidal lines
Definition
lines drawn on a chart to mark the location of the tide crest at set time intervals generally one hour apart.
Term
Rotary Standing Tide
Definition
Tide that is a result of a standing wave moving around the central node of a basin.
Term
Amphidromic point
Definition
point from which cotidal lines radiate on a chart; the nodal, or low-amplitude, point for a rotary tide.
Term
cornage lines
Definition
in a rotary tide, lines of equal tidal range about the amphidromic point.
Term
tidal bore
Definition
high-tide crest that advances rapidly up an estuary or river as a breaking wave.
Term
Why do some regions have 2 high tides per day and other regions have one high tide per day?
Definition
Because the Earth turns once per day beneath two water bulges on opposite sides of the Earth, which are caused by the excess lunar gravitational and centrifugal forces.
Term
hypoxic
Definition
having low oxygen levels in the water; organisms may find survival in a hypoxic environment difficult or impossible.
Term
wetland
Definition
the portion of any catch or harvest taken in addition to the targeted species.
Term
Pelagic Zone
Definition
water environment
Term
Benthic zone
Definition
seafloor environment
Term
neritic zone
Definition
shallow-water marine environment extending from low water to the edge of the continental shelf.
Term
oceanic zone
Definition
open ocean away from the direct influence of land.
Term
taxonomy
Definition
scientific classification of organisms. (Three domains of life: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya)
Term
poikilotherm
Definition
organism with a body temperature that varies according to the temperature of its surroundings
Term
homeotherm
Definition
organism with a body temperature that varies only within a narrow limits.
Term
respiration
Definition
oxidation of organic matter to CO2 to drive energy
Term
anoxia
Definition
occurs when oxygen concentrations reach 0 mg/L.
Term
hypoxia
Definition
occurs when oxygen concentrations fall below about 2 mg/L.
Term
anaerobe
Definition
organism that survives in anoxic conditions because it doesn’t rely on oxygen to oxidize organic mater for energy. They use other oxidizing agents such as NO3- or SO4-.
Term
Commensalism
Definition
one organism benefits and the other is not affected
e.g. barnacles living on whales
Term
Mutualism
Definition
both participants benefit
e.g. the clownfish and anemones
Term
Parasitism
Definition
one organism benefits at the expense of the other
e.g. parasitic worms found in most fish.
Term
Marine ecology
Definition
the study of interactions between organisms and the environment.
Term
Plankton
Definition
passively drifting or weakly swimming organisms.
Term
nekton
Definition
Pelagic animals that are active swimmers; for example, adult squid, fish, and marine animals.
Term
Benthos
Definition
organisms living on or in the ocean bottom
Term
aphotic zone
Definition
that part of the ocean in which light is insufficient to carry on photosynthesis.
Term
bioluminescence
Definition
production of light by liviing organisms as a result of a chemical reaction either within certain cells or organs or outside the cells in some form of excretion.
Term
Substrate
Definition
Base on which an organism lives; Provides food, shelter, and a place for attachment; Greatest variability along coastal areas
Term
Epifauna
Definition
on surface of sea floor (crabs, mussels)
Term
Infauna
Definition
burrow and live in sediments (clams)
Term
Primary Production
Definition
amount of living matter or biomass, that is produced by photosynthesis or chemosythetic organisms, usually expressed in grams of carbon per volume of sea water.
Term
respiration
Definition
metabolic process by which food or food storage molecules produce the energy on which all living cells depend.
Term
standing crop
Definition
Total plant biomass per unit area or unit volume
Term
What is the net primary production equal to?
Definition
Primary production minus the part that is broken down during plant respiration.
Term
When new marine phytoplankton biomass is produced by photosynthesis, dissolved carbon dioxide is converted to...
Definition
organic carbon compounds.
Term
How is primary production in upwelling areas?
Definition
Most productive but smallest area
Term
How is primary production in the open ocean?
Definition
Least productive, but largest area; As productive as deserts on land
Term
How is primary production in coastal areas?
Definition
Intermediate productivity and area
Term
What is primary production like in estuaries
Definition
As productive as the most heavily cultivated areas on land
Term
Chemosynthesis
Definition
formation of organic compounds with energy derived from inorganic substances such as ammonia, methane, sulfur, and hydrogen.
Term
What are the levels of the trophic pyramid?
Definition
First trophic level (producers)
Second trophic level (herbivores)
Upper trophic levels (carnivores)
Term
nitrogen fixation
Definition
Process of using nitrogen gas as a source of inorganic nitrogen.
Term
phytoplankton
Definition
“grasses of the sea;” Use solar energy to generate oxygen and organic food (photosynthesis); Form the base of most food webs
Term
zooplankton
Definition
Unicellular and multicellular forms; Eat other organisms
Term
Bacterioplankton
Definition
Diverse roles in marine ecosystems; composed of members of the domains Bacteria and Archea
Term
frustle
Definition
cell wall of diatoms ( diatoms possess pigments and different types of chlorophyll)
Term
auxospore
Definition
naked cell of a diatom, which grows to full size and forms new siliceous covering.
Term
Holoplankton
Definition
spend their entire lives as plankton
Term
Meroplankton
Definition
only plankton for a portion of their lives – includes eggs, larvae, and juveniles of many species
Term
Extremophiles
Definition
micro-organisms that thrive under conditions that would be fatal to other life forms.
Term
Virus
Definition
non-cellular particle made up of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat; Successful parasites that replicate inside a host cell; Highly abundant in marine waters
Viral infections reduce primary productivity
Term
Nekton
Definition
Animals swimming freely.
Term
Pinnipeds
Definition
Characterized by four swimming flippers; Sea Lions and Lions
Term
sea cows
Definition
large hebivores; marine mammal of tropical and subtropical waters; Manatees and dugongs
Herbivores
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