Term
|
Definition
| any large system of rotating ocean currents. Caused by the Coriolis Effect and wind. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A shallow water (surf zone) current taht moves parallel to the coast |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is an underwater plain on the deep ocean floor, usually found at depths between 3000 and 6000 m. Lying generally between the foot of a continental rise and a mid-ocean ridge, abyssal plains cover more than 50% of the Earth’s surface |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands/cays on the coral rim |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| s the zone of the ocean floor that separates the thin oceanic crust from thick continental crust. Together, the continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise are called continental margin |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is an underwater feature found between the continental slope and the abyssal plain. This feature can be found all around the world, and it represents the final stage in the boundary between continents and the deepest part of the ocean |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The sloping region between a continental shelf and a continental rise. A continental slope is typically about 20 km (12.4 mi) wide, consists of muds and silts, and is often crosscut by submarine canyons. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A deep ocean trech is a portion of the Earth's crust in which a tectonic plate is being subducted (pushed down) below another plate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| also known as deep-sea fans, underwater deltas, and submarine fans, are underwater geological structures associated with large-scale sediment deposition and formed by turbidity currents. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is the technique of using sound pulses to find the depth of water. The interval from the emission of a pulse to reception of its echo is recorded, and the depth calculated from the known speed of propagation of sound through water. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water along the coast where freshwater from rivers and streams meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean. Estuaries and the lands surrounding them are places of transition from land to sea and freshwater to salt water. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater mountain range, formed by plate tectonics. Divergent boundary |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water (80 meters or less beneath low water) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is one of the three main types of coral reefs recognized by most coral reef scientists. It is distinguished from the other two main types (barrier reefs and atolls) in that it has either an entirely shallow backreef zone (lagoon) or none at all. If a fringing reef grows directly from the shoreline (see photo, right) the reef flat extends right to the beach and there is no backreef. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| long island made of loose sand, running parallel to mainland |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is a steep-sided valley cut into the sea floor of the continental slope, sometimes extending well onto the continental shelf. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that are parallel to the mainland coast. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| spit that extends completely across openings |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Trucking in sand to widen a beach |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| built into the surf zone which runs parallel to the coast |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| caused by land uplifting or falling sea level |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| built perpendicular to coast to trap sediment on up current side |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| least extreme of high and low tides. Sun moon and Earth form right angles. Occur at first and third quarter (half moon) phases |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Directly covering coastal sand/beach with stone and concrete. Drawbacks are it never really stops erosion and there are aesthetic problems |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| extension of sand into a coastal inlet that grows with the flow of the longshore current |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| greatest extremes of high and low tides. Sun, moon, and earth are aligned and lunar and solar bulges align. Occur at full and new moon phases. Has nothing to do with the seasons |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| occurs from rising sea level or land subsidence. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Wide, with finer sands. No sand dunes/ sand bars |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Narrower and coarser sand. Tends to develop sand dunes |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the white substance that forms on top of waves as they move towards the shore |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| resistant exposure of rock acts as wave barrier, allowing sand to build out |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| coastal benches, wave-cut benches or shore platform is the narrow flat area often found at the base of a sea cliff or along the shoreline of a lake, bay, or sea that was created by the action of waves.Wave-cut platforms are often most obvious at low tide when they become visible as huge areas of flat rock. Sometimes the landward side of the platform is covered by sand, forming the beach, and then the platform can only be identified at low tides or when storms move the sand. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a wave in which the particles of water move in closed vertical orbits |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a wave in which the particles of water move forward in the direction of wave propagation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the time it takes for two successive wave crests to pass a given point. See also wave; wave crest. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| seamount is a mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface (sea level), and thus is not an island. These are typically formed from extinct volcanoes that rise abruptly and are usually found rising from the seafloor |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| also known as a tablemount, is an isolated underwater volcanic mountain (seamount), with a flat top over 200 meters (660 feet) below the surface of the sea. |
|
|
Term
| What is the typical depth of the ocean floor? |
|
Definition
| The average depth of the ocean is about 4,267 meters |
|
|
Term
| Difference between an active and passive continental margin |
|
Definition
| continental sloe descends abruptly into a deep sea ocean trench. Located primarily in the Pacific Ocean. Passive margins have wide continental shelves |
|
|
