Coastal and oceanic landforms
Coastal and oceanic landforms refer to the various natural structures and features found at the interface between land and ocean, as well as within oceanic environments. Below is a brief overview of both categories: ### Coastal Landforms: These landforms are shaped by the interactions between land and sea, including processes like erosion, deposition, and wave action.
Marine geography stubs
"Marine geography stubs" typically refers to short or incomplete articles on marine geography topics within a collaborative platform like Wikipedia. Stubs are articles that provide limited information and are often marked as such, indicating that they need expansion and additional content to cover the topic more comprehensively. Marine geography itself is a subfield of geography that focuses on the study of marine environments, including oceans, seas, and coastal areas.
Ocean currents
Ocean currents are large-scale movements of seawater that flow through the world's oceans. These currents are driven by a combination of factors, including wind patterns, the Earth's rotation (the Coriolis effect), temperature differences, salinity variations, and the shape of coastlines and ocean basins. There are two main types of ocean currents: 1. **Surface Currents**: These currents occur in the upper layer of the ocean and are primarily driven by wind.
Oceanic gyres
Oceanic gyres are large systemsof circulating ocean currents formed by the combined effects of wind, the Coriolis effect, and the continents. These gyres play a significant role in regulating the Earth's climate, ocean circulation, and marine ecosystems. There are five major oceanic gyres in the world: 1. **North Atlantic Gyre**: Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, it includes the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, the Canary Current, and the North Equatorial Current.
Physical oceanographers
Physical oceanographers are scientists who study the physical characteristics and processes of the ocean. This field of oceanography focuses on various aspects, such as ocean currents, wave dynamics, temperature and salinity distributions, density stratification, and the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere.
Tides
Tides are the regular rise and fall of sea levels caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on Earth. This phenomenon results in predictable changes in water levels along coastlines, typically occurring in cycles of approximately 12 hours and 25 minutes between high and low tides.
Water masses
Water masses are large volumes of ocean water that have distinct characteristics, such as temperature, salinity, and density, which differentiate them from surrounding water. These characteristics are shaped by their formation processes, which include mixing, evaporation, precipitation, and interactions with the atmosphere and ice. Water masses are important in oceanography and climatology because they influence global circulation patterns, climate, and marine ecosystems.
Water waves
Water waves are disturbances that travel through water, caused by the transfer of energy through the medium. They occur when energy is applied to water, leading to the oscillation of water molecules at the surface of the body of water. There are two primary types of water waves: 1. **Capillary Waves**: These are small waves that occur when the water surface is disturbed, typically at a scale of a few centimeters or less.
ABISMO
ABISMO refers to the "Automated Biological Information Systems for Monitoring and Observation." It is a system developed to collect, analyze, and manage biological data, particularly in the context of environmental monitoring and biodiversity assessment. While specific details about ABISMO can vary based on its application and the organization utilizing it, the primary aim is to use automated systems to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of biological data collection and monitoring efforts.
Abyssal plain
An abyssal plain is a flat or gently sloping area of the ocean floor, typically found at depths between 3,000 to 6,000 meters (approximately 10,000 to 20,000 feet). These plains are among the Earth's most extensive and least explored environments, covering more than 50% of the Earth's surface. Abyssal plains are primarily composed of sediments, including clay, silt, and organic material that has settled from the water column above.
Accretion (coastal management)
Accretion in coastal management refers to the process of sediment accumulation along the coastline, which can lead to the gradual buildup of land. This natural phenomenon can occur through various mechanisms, such as the deposition of sediments transported by waves, currents, and tidal actions. In the context of coastal management, accretion is significant because it can help mitigate the effects of coastal erosion, support the development of land habitats, and contribute to the stability of coastlines.
An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is a scientific instrument used to measure the velocity of water currents in various aquatic environments, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. It utilizes the Doppler effect, which describes the change in frequency of waves in relation to an observer moving relative to the source of the waves. ### How it Works: 1. **Acoustic Pulses**: The ADCP emits sound pulses (acoustic waves) into the water column.
Angola–Benguela Front
The Angola–Benguela Front, also known as the Angola-Benguela Current or Angola-Benguela Front, is an oceanographic feature in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of southwestern Africa. It marks the boundary between the warm, tropical waters of the Angola Current, which flows south along the Angolan coastline, and the cooler, nutrient-rich waters of the Benguela Current, which originates from the Antarctic region and moves northward along the coast of Namibia and South Africa.
Antarctic Circumpolar Wave
The Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW) is a large-scale oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that circulates around Antarctica in a wave-like manner, influencing the climate and oceanographic conditions in the Southern Ocean. It is characterized by oscillating patterns in sea surface temperature, sea level pressure, and other oceanic and atmospheric variables. The ACW is typically associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), which flows around Antarctica and is the world's strongest ocean current.
Antarctic bottom water
Antarctic Bottom Water (ABW) is a deep ocean water mass that forms in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. It is characterized by its cold temperature and high salinity, making it one of the densest water masses in the world's oceans. ABW is formed primarily through processes of sea ice formation and the cooling of surface waters near the Antarctic continent.
Archipelagic apron
An archipelagic apron is a geological term that refers to a specific type of underwater landform found in archipelagic regions, where a series of islands are grouped closely together. This landform is characterized by a broad, gently sloping area that extends seaward from the islands, often consisting of accumulated sediment, rocks, and organic material.
Argo (oceanography)
Argo is a global ocean observational program that aims to measure the temperature and salinity of the upper layers of the world's oceans. Launched in the early 2000s, the Argo program utilizes a fleet of autonomous floating devices known as Argo floats. These floats are equipped with sensors and can dive to depths of around 2000 meters (about 6,600 feet) to collect data on ocean properties.
Atlantic Equatorial mode
The Atlantic Equatorial Mode (AEM) is a climate phenomenon that refers to the variability in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions over the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. It plays a significant role in influencing weather patterns and climate variability in the surrounding regions, including North America, South America, and Africa. The AEM is characterized by fluctuations in sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Atlantic, which can affect the strength and position of the trade winds, precipitation patterns, and storm activity in the tropics.
Barents Sea Opening
The Barents Sea Opening refers to a specific event in the context of international relations, particularly related to energy resources in the Arctic region. It often pertains to the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas reserves in the Barents Sea, which is located north of Norway and Russia. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the Barents Sea due to its potential hydrocarbon resources, especially as melting ice from climate change opens up new areas for exploration.
Baroclinic instability is a phenomenon in ocean and atmospheric dynamics that occurs due to the interaction between density variations and the shear of velocity in different layers of fluid. In the ocean, baroclinic conditions exist when there is a vertical density gradient, typically due to temperature (thermocline) and salinity (halocline) differences. This gradient causes the density of seawater to vary with depth, leading to differing pressure fields at different depths.