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Glossary
TERMS USED IN BARROW-RELATED NSF PROJECTS
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A
ab initio: a phrase taken from Latin, meaning "from the beginning."
absolute dating: any of various processes, such as radiocarbon
dating, by which an artifact, feature, or event can be assigned a fairly
precise age that is not derived from the date of some other item or event.
Thus, absolute date.
acoustic: Used when the term that it modifies designates something
that has the properties, dimensions, or physical characteristics associated
with sound waves.
ADCP: Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
adsorption: the taking up of the molecules from a gas or liquid
on the surface of another substance; distinguished from absorption, a
process where one substance actually penetrates into the inner structure
of the other.
advection: 1. the transfer of heat, cold, or other atmospheric
properties by the horizontal motion of a mass of air. 2. the rate of change
of the value of an advected property, such as fog, at a given point. Oceanography.
the generally horizontal mixing of bodies of water or air, on a large
scale.
aerosol: a suspension or dispersion of fine particles of a solid
or liquid in a gas.
aerosonde: a remote-controlled aircraft.
albedo: Reflectivity. When radiation strikes a body, albedo is
a measure of the fraction reflected, either back towards the source or
anywhere away from the body. In climate considerations, albedo refers
to the percentage of solar radiation reflected back from the Earth into
space (about 30% on average). The albedo of any locale depends upon
many factors, including the color and roughness of the terrain, the extent
of forest or agriculture cover, and the amount of cloud and snow cover.
Clouds, ice and snow reflect a greater proportion of radiation than do
land and ocean surfaces (Source: Mintzer, 1992).
aldehydes: organic compounds with a structure resembling a chain
of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Aldehydes such as formaldehyde
are made commercially, through reactions that include the catalytic removal
of hydrogen from alcohols. But aldehydes are also present in fossil fuel
engine exhausts. Formaldehyde, for example, is found typically at 29-43
parts per million in automobile exhaust, and at a higher percentage in
diesel engines. Aldehydes have been linked to cancer risk in humans, and
formaldehyde was listed as a hazardous air pollutant in the 1990 United
States Clean Air Act (Source: Mintzer, 1992).
algal (algae): pertaining to any of a large group of mostly aquatic
organisms that contain chlorophyll and other pigments and can carry on
photosynthesis, but lack true roots, stems, or leaves; they range from
microscopic single cells to very large multicellular structures; included
are nearly all seaweeds. (From Latin alga, "seaweed.")
algal mucilage: any of various gelatinous secretions from certain
plants, especially from seaweed.
amitosis: cellular fission or cell division in which the normal
nuclear events of chromosome formation and separation do not occur. Thus,
amitotic.
anadromous: fish that spend their adult lives in the sea but swim
upriver to freshwater spawning grounds to reproduce (Source: Carbon Dioxide
Information Analysis Center, 1990).
anion: a negatively-charged ion.
anisotropy: Materials Science. the fact of being dependent on direction,
especially in a crystalline lattice, of any mechanical, electrooptic,
or magnetic property, such as elasticity, conductivity, or permeability.
Biology. the condition of having unequal responses to external stimuli.
anthropogenic: refers to something originating from humans and
the impact of human activities on nature.
anticyclonic flow: the air flow produced about a high pressure
center by the combination of two forces: the pressure gradient accelerating
the air away from the center and the Coriolos force acting inward. Anticyclonic
flows are clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in
the southern hemisphere.
autotrophic: Independent of other organisms in respect of organic
nutrition; able to fix carbon dioxide, by photosynthesis, to form carbohydrates.
-azimuth: Astronomy. the angular distance of an object along the
horizon measured from north toward east. Cartography. a horizontal angle
measured from a vertical reference plane, usually a meridian. Navigation.
the true bearing of a celestial body from the observer, generally measured
through 360°.
back radiation (counter-radiation): the downward flux of atmospheric
radiation passing through a given level surface, usually taken as the
earth's surface. This result of infrared (long-wave) absorption and reemission
by the atmosphere is the principal factor in the greenhouse effect.
backscatter (backward scatter): The deflection of radiation by
scattering processes through angles that exceed 90° with respect
to the original direction of motion.
bathymetric: a. Relating to the measurement of depths of water
in oceans, seas, and lakes. b. Relating to the contour of the bottoms
of oceans, seas, and lakes. c. Relating to the distribution in depth of
marine or lacustrine organisms.
bathymetry: The science of measuring ocean depths to determine
the topography of the sea floor.
benthic: Term denoting the lower section of a surface or bottom
dwelling. The largest part of all biological life are benthic organisms
in the greater part of the atmosphere. Said of the bottom of any body
of water, regardless of depth. Oceanic benthic division is composed of
littoral, sublittoral, archibenthic, abyssal-benthic zones.
biogenic: 1. Something which came about as a result of the activities
of living things. 2. Something which is necessary for life processes.
biogeochemical cycle: the circulation of chemical elements such
as oxygen, carbon, etc., from the environment into plants and animals
and back again into the environment.
biological production: the assimilation of nutrients into biomass
and energy.
biomass: 1. plant material or vegetation that can be converted
to useful fuel and that is considered as a potential energy source. Plant
material or vegetation that can be converted to useful fuel and that is
considered as a potential energy source. 2. a quantitative estimate of
the entire assemblage of living organisms, both animal and vegetable,
of a given habitat, considered collectively and measured in terms of mass,
volume, or energy in calories.
biophysics: The science that deals with the application of physics
to biological processes and phenomena.
biota: 1. the plant and animal life characteristic of a specific
region or biosphere or of a given time period.
broadband: Of, relating to, or having a wide band of electromagnetic
frequencies.
-bromine (Br): a nonmetallic halogen element, having the symbol
Br, the atomic number 35, an atomic weight of 79.909, a melting point
of -7.2°C, and a boiling point of 58.78°C. It is a dark, reddish-brown,
very reactive liquid that is found in nature only in combination with
other elements; it fumes at room temperature with an irritating odor.
It is used in manufacturing antiknock gasoline, in photography, and in
water purification. (From a Greek word meaning "foul odor; stench.")
carbonyl: the divalent group CO that occurs in a wide range of
chemical compounds, such as aldehydes and ketones. [divalent: An atom
or radical group which has a valence of two, or which can combine with
two (rather than one) different other] atoms or molecules.
catalytic (catalyst): capable of causing or accelerating a chemical
reaction without itself being affected.
c-axis fabrics: a. In crystallography, a symmetrically unique reference
vector, oriented vertically by convention. In the monoclinic system, the
second setting orients the c axis at the nonorthogonal angle beta to the
unique b axis, the diad. In the triclinic system, all axes are unique
with the c axis designated by convention. CF:a axis; b axis. b. One of
three orthogonal reference axes, a, b, and c that are used in structural
geology. c. To help describe the geometry of a fabric that possesses monoclinic
symmetry, the c axis lies in the unique symmetry plane at right angles
to a prominent fabric plane; thus in many tectonites the c axis is normal
to the schistosity. d. In a kinematic sense, to describe a deformation
plan that possesses monoclinic symmetry, such as a progressive shear.
Here the c axis lies in the unique symmetry plane and normal to the movement
plane. In a progressive simple shear, the c axis lies normal to the shear
plane. Syn:c direction
Cenozoic: 1. the most recent geologic era, extending from the beginning
of the Tertiary period (about 65 million years ago) to the present. 2.
referring to the rocks formed during that time.
CHIRP profiler: instrumentation for Compressed High Intensity Radar
Pulse.
circumboreal: Said of plants which surround the Northern Hemisphere,
appearing in both the Old and New Worlds, such as dandelion.
-cline: Biology. a gradual variation in the inherited characteristics
of an animal or plant species across different parts of its range according
to varying ecological, geographic, or other factors. Ecology. the differences
in a community structure due to changes in the slope around a mountain
or ridge.
colloid: a suspension of finely divided particles in a continuous
medium, esp. a gaseous, liquid, or solid substance, such as an atmospheric
fog, a paint, or foam rubber, containing suspended particles that are
approximately 5 to 5,000 angstroms in size, do not settle out of the substance
rapidly, and are not readily filtered.
computer simulation: computer simulations are usually the outcome
of calculations to determine how events will play out.
computer simulation: computer-based representation of physical
systems and phenomena such as chemical processes; usually the outcome
of calculations to determine how events will play out.
conservation biology: the discipline that treats the content of
biodiversity, the natural processes that produce it and the techniques
used to sustain it in the face of human-caused environmental disturbance.
convection: the movement and mixing of ocean water masses, usually
caused by temperature differences between them.
copepod: a crustacean zooplankton common in marine and, to a lesser
extent, freshwater systems.
corticosterone: Endocrinology. a mineralocorticoid hormone that
is secreted by the adrenal cortex.
cosmogenic: produced by cosmic rays.
coupled (re: computer models/simulations): When mechanisms or functional
subsystems are connected causally to influence each other, they are said
to be coupled. If A is causally connected to B, the connection is often
described by coupling coefficients or influence coefficients. (Iberall)
coupled ice-ocean models: see coupled and computer simulation
covariance: statistical term for a measure of the degree of association
between two variables.
covariance, analysis of: a study of the effect of a set of both
quantitative and qualitative variables on a quantitative response, with
emphasis on the effect of the qualitative variables.
cyclonic: relating to rotation in the same direction as the earth
when viewed from the local vertical; that is, counterclockwise in the
Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, and undefined
at the Equator.
decadal: pertaining to ten; consisting of tens.
diatomaceous: composed of or containing diatoms or their siliceous
remains.
Doppler: A self-contained electronic system that makes use of Doppler's
principle of frequency shift of waves emanating from a moving source.
In this system, a pulsed or continuous wave is sent diagonally downward
fore and aft, forward and backward, and the frequencies are compared in
order to obtain the true ground speed. The heading is obtained from a
special magnetic compass and is maintained by a directional gyro used
as an integrating device. The distance thus determined has a precision
better than one part in a thousand, which is sufficient for most geophysical
surveys.
dosimetry: the techniques for quantitative measurement of ionizing
radiation doses and dose rates, using various types of radiation survey
instruments to record possible exposure of personnel working in radiation
environments.
dynamical: 1. of or pertaining to dynamics; belonging to energy
or power; characterized by energy or production of force. 2. relating
to physical forces, effects, or laws.
eco-: a prefix meaning "environment" or "ecology," as in ecosystem.
eddy: a deviation in the steady flow of a fluid, causing a vortex.
Ekman Layer: the transition boundary between the free atmosphere
and the surface boundary layer in which the shearing stress is constant.
endocrine: Endocrinology. 1. a hormonal pathway that is characterized
by the production of a biologically active substance by a ductless gland;
the substance then is carried through the bloodstream to initiate a cellular
response in a distal target cell or tissue. 2. describing a pathway, organ,
or structure that secretes internally. 3. relating to internal secretions;
hormonal.
energetics: Physics. the study of energy and its transformations
from one form to another.
energy balance: a mathematical statement of the law of the conservation
of energy for a system in a steady state, equating the amount of input
energy to the amount of output energy.
energy budget: a record of the flow of energy through an ecosystem
population or individual.
entrainment: Hydrology - 1. the picking up and transporting of
materials by currents. 2. the transferring and mixing of water masses
by friction between opposing currents. Chemical Engineering - any process
in which particulates are caught up in and then carried away by a flowing
gas or liquid. Meteorology - the integration of environmental air into
a preexisting, typically upward-moving air current.
epi-: 1. a combining form meaning "upon," "above," or "around,"
as in epicardium. Organic chemistry. a combining form designating an intramolecular
bridge.
equilibrate: to bring into or be in balance or equilibrium.
ericaceous shrubs: heatherlike; belonging to the family Ericaceae.
Plants of the family Ericaceae require an acid soil, generally with a
pH of 6 or less.
ericoid: like a heath.
eukaryote: a single-celled or multicellular organism whose cells
contain a distinct membrane-bound nucleus.
extracellular: located, occurring, or functioning outside a cell
or cells.
feldspar: any of a group of light-colored, silicate, rock-forming
minerals most often found in plutonic igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks
and often containing potassium, sodium, or calcium. Feldspar constitutes
60% of the Earth's crust.
flagellate: of, relating to, or moving by means of flagella. Possessing
a moveable threadlike or whiplike structure, or flagellum; specifically,
those protozoa having flagella.
fluvial: Pertaining to streams or rivers or produced by stream
action; also, migrating between main rivers and tributaries.
flux: The rate of continuous change, flow or movement of liquid,
particles or energy. The rate of discharge of a liquid, removal of energy
or particle depositing from one body to another.
foram: see foraminifera.
foraminifera: 1. an order of chiefly marine protozoa in the phylum
Sarcodina, whose shells are the main ingredient of chalk.
fluorescence: Atomic physics. an effect in which a substance releases
electromagnetic radiation while absorbing another form of energy, but
ceases to emit the radiation immediately upon the cessation of the input
energy, such as the absorption of ultraviolet light by the coating in
a fluorescent tube to give off visible light. Immunology. specifically,
the light emission of a given wavelength by a substance that is activated
by light of a different wavelength. Materials science. a characteristic
X-ray emitted by material used for chemical analysis.
GCM: General Circulation Models (GCMs). A computational model
or representation of the earth's climate, used to forecast changes in
climate or weather. Most GCMs concentrate on the circulation of the ocean
or atmosphere (the latter are often called "atmospheric general circulation
models"). Atmospheric GCMS consist of equations that describe the atmosphere's
basic dynamics, and include descriptions of its physical processes. Functions
represent the conservation of energy, momentum, and mass, and calculate
the distributions of wind, temperature, precipitation, and other indicators
of climate as a result of emissions from human and natural sources. More
elaborate climate models couple the atmospheric equations to others which
describe the structure and dynamics of the ocean, and to other components
of the climate system (land surface and ice). The most advanced models,
three-dimensional GCMs with coupled representation of atmospheric and
oceanic processes, can be run on only the largest and fastest supercomputers.
Typically, GCMs are used to determine and describe potential climate changes
that would result from a particular set of prescribed boundary conditions,
after equilibrium is reached. It is more difficult to analyze dynamic
results with these types of models, in which the boundary conditions are
(more realistically) changing over time (Source: Mintzer, 1992).
general circulation model: see GCM
Geographic Information System: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
are tools used to gather, transform, manipulate, analyze, and produce
information related to the surface of the Earth. This data may exist as
maps, 3D virtual models, tables, and/or lists.
geometrical: "geometrical" is often used in a limited or strictly
technical sense, as opposed to "mechanical"; thus, a construction or solution
is geometrical which can be made by ruler and compasses, i. e., by means
of right lines and circles. Every construction or solution which requires
any other curve, or such motion of a line or circle as would generate
any other curve, is not geometrical, but mechanical. By another distinction,
a geometrical solution is one obtained by the rules of geometry, or processes
of analysis, and hence is exact; while a mechanical solution is one obtained
by trial, by actual measurements, with instruments, etc, and is only approximate
and empirical.
GIS: see Geographic Information System
glucosamine: C6H13NO5, a widely occurring amino sugar of glucose
that is a component of chitin and occurs in vertebrate tissues.
glycine: one of the twenty naturally occurring amino acids.
gravimeter: a highly sensitive weighing instrument that is used
to measure variations in the magnitude of a gravitational field or the
specific gravity of a substance.
ground truth: Data Analysis and Interpretation - verification of
aerial photo interpretation by observers on the ground.
halocline: The boundary between surface fresh water and underlying
saltwater in a stratified coastal environment. A location where there
is a marked change in salinity.
halogen: any one of the following elements: astatine, bromine,
chlorine, fluorine of iodine.
heat flux perturbation: see radiative forcing.
heat flux: the amount of heat that is transferred across a surface
of unit area in a unit of time.
heterotrophic: An organism that requires chemical energy from already
formed organic molecules; dependent on organic food made by photosynthetic
plants.
hibernacula: caves or other structures used for hibernation.
Holocene: 1. the geologic epoch of the Quaternary period extending
from the end of the Pleistocene to the present. 2. referring to the rocks
and deposits formed during that time.
hydrate: 1. a compound or complex ion formed by the union of water
with some other substance and represented as actually containing water.
2. a hydroxide, such as calcium hydrate (hydrated lime).
hydrographic: relating to the physical features of water areas
or the study of such areas.
hydrologic: Pertaining to the cyclic phenomena of waters of the
earth¼successively as precipitation, runoff, storage and evaporation,
and quantitatively as to distribution and concentration.
hydrolysis: a chemical reaction in which water is used to break
down a compound; this is achieved by breaking a covalent bond in the compound
by inserting a water molecule across the bond. The opposite of this is
a dehydration-condensation reaction.
hydroperoxide: a type of organic peroxide.
hydrostatic: Pertaining to pressure by and within water due to
gravitation acting through depth.
in situ: in the normal or natural position; specific uses include:
Geology. in its original location. Archaeology. describing an artifact
recovered from the place where it was deposited by its last user. (From
a Latin term meaning "in place.")
incident ray: A ray of light that falls upon or strikes a surface
of an object such as a lens. It is said to be incident to the surface.
information from DNA to the protein-forming system of the cell.
interannual variability: variations among years.
Inuit: refers to the native people who are geographically located
in the arctic regions, and means "the people."
Inupiat: 1. a member of the Eskimo people of northern Alaska. 2.
the language of the Inupiat people.
ionic: 1. relating to or involving ions. 2. occurring in the form
of an ion or ions.
isotope: an alternate form of an element that has the usual number
of protons but a nonstandard number of neutrons; the fewer or additional
neutrons give the isotope a different atomic weight than the regular element
and may make the isotope radioactive, but otherwise an isotope has the
same chemical action as the regular element. Because of this, isotopes
(such as radioactive carbon) are used as tracers in biological systems
or processes.
isotropic: Science. having physical properties that do not vary
with direction. Thus, isotropic material, isotropic fluid, isotropic radiation,
isotropic turbulence, isotropic displacement.
ketones: by-products produced as a result of fat metabolism which
occurs during periods of hyperglycemia or inadequate carbohydrate intake.
kinetics: 1.the study of reaction rates. 2.The study of the relationship
between force and mass.
lacustrine: of or having to do with a lake.
Lagrangian: 1. for a discrete mechanical system, the quantity equal
to the system's kinetic energy minus its potential energy, regarded as
a function of the generalized coordinates, generalized velocities, and
time. 2. for a continuous system, the integral of the Lagrangian density
over the volume of the system.
lignin: a complex polymer that forms an extensive network within
the cell walls of certain plants and that confers strength and rigidity
to the cell wall; one of the chief substances found in wood. Materials
Science - a brown to transparent crystalline form of this substance, derived
from paper-pulp sulfate liquor; used as a corrosion inhibitor, adhesive,
coating, and fertilizer, and as a binder of compressed wood. (From the
Latin word for wood.)
lithosphere: Geology. the solid, outer layer of the earth, consisting
of the crust and upper mantle.
mass balance: The application of the principle of the conservation
of matter. For example, the mass of a glacier is not destroyed or created;
the mass of a glacier and all its constitutive components remains the
same despite alterations in their physical states. The mass balance of
a glacier is calculated with the input/output relationships of ice, firn,
and snow, usually measured in water equivalent. Output includes all ablative
processes of surface melting, basal melting, evaporation, wind deflation,
calving, and internal melting. Input includes direct precipitation, avalanching,
and the growth of superimposed ice (Source: Carbon Dioxide Information
Analysis Center, 1990).
mass spectrometry: a method of identifying a material by vaporizing
it with an electric discharge and exposing the gas to a beam of electrons;
the ions produced are then separated, as by deflection through a magnetic
field, according to their mass-to-charge ratios for identification by
an ion detector.
mass spectrometry: a method of identifying a material by vaporizing
it with an electric discharge and exposing the gas to a beam of electrons;
the ions produced are then separated, as by deflection through a magnetic
field, according to their mass-to-charge ratios for identification by
an ion detector.
mechanical properties: Those properties of a material that reveal
the elastic and inelastic reaction when force is applied, or that involve
the relationship between stress and strain; for example, the modulus of
elasticity, tensile strength and fatigue limit.
mechanical: see definition for geometrical.
mesoscale: Size scale referring to weather systems. Horizontal
dimensions generally range from around 50 miles to several hundred miles.
Squall lines, MCCs, and MCSs are examples of mesoscale weather systems.
mesosphere: The division of the Atmosphere above the Stratosphere.
The mesosphere begins about 50 kilometers (31 miles) in altitude and extends
to about 80 kilometers (50 miles).
Mesozoic: 1. the geologic era extending from the end of the Paleozoic
era to the beginning of the Cenozoic era, dating from approximately 225
to 65 million years ago; includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous
periods. 2. the rocks formed during this era.
metabolite: 1. A substance produced by metabolism. 2. A substance
necessary for or taking part in a particular metabolic process.
microaerophilic: requiring oxygen but at a level lower than that
typically found in the Earth's normal sea-level atmosphere.
micrograph: a photograph or other such image of a minute object,
organism, or specimen as seen through a microscope.
midden: a large refuse heap that is associated with intense human
occupation, containing such materials as discarded artifacts, food remains,
charcoal, bones, and so on.
mineralization: the process by which the organic components of
an organism are replaced by inorganic materials.
model: see computer simulation.
mycorrhiza: the symbiotic association of the mycelium of a fungus
with the roots of certain plants.
nano-: Used loosely to mean "small"
NCAR CSM: National Center for Atmospheric Research/Climate System
Model http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/csm/
Neogene: an interval of geologic time that incorporates the Miocene
and Pliocene epochs; equivalent to the Upper Tertiary period.
neuro-: a prefix meaning "nerve."
NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance - a phenomenon in which transitions
in the magnetic energy states of the nuclei of atoms are induced when
the atoms are placed in a static magnetic field and subjected to an oscillatory
magnetic field, perpendicular to the static field, and oscillating at
some characteristic radio frequency. Radiology. the application of an
external magnetic field to a solution in a constant radio-frequency field
to ascertain the composition of organic compounds. This technique is used
in magnetic resonance imaging to visualize soft tissues of the body by
distinguishing between hydrogen atoms in different environments.
nuclear magnetic resonance: see NMR.
nucleation: the condensation or aggregation process by which crystals
are formed on a minute amount of substance that acts as a nucleus for
subsequent crystalline growth; rain and snow are formed through this process.
nucleic acid: a complex organic chain of nucleotides of DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) or RNA (ribonucleic acid); found in chromosomes, mitochondria, ribosomes,
bacteria, and viruses; i.e., in virtually all living cells.
nuclide: a species of atom that is distinguished by the number
of neutrons or protons it contains, and by the amount of energy in its
nucleus.
nuclide: a species of atom that is distinguished by the number
of neutrons or protons it contains, and by the amount of energy in its
nucleus.
oligotrophic: describes a body of water in which nutrients are
in low supply.
ombrotrophic: rain-fed.
organochlorines: Any of various hydrocarbon pesticides, such as
DDT, that contain chlorine.
orthogonal: at right angles; on an independent dimension. Two structures
which each express an independent dimension.
oscillation: 1. a periodic motion backward and forward. 2. vibration
or variance above and below a mean value.
oxic: containing oxygen; aerobic. Usually used in reference to
a microbial habitat.
paleo: a prefix meaning: "old" or "ancient."
paleoclimate: the climate of a designated interval of geologic
time.
paleomagnetic stratigraphy: the analysis of natural remanent magnetization
to identify discrete stratigraphic units.
paleomagnetics: the study of the earth's magnetic field through
time, including its changes and the reasons for these changes, done mainly
through analysis of remanent magnetization of rocks.
paleosecular: see "paleo" + "secular".
parameterization: The representation, in a mathematical model,
of physical effects in terms of admittedly oversimplified parameters,
rather than realistically requiring such effects to be consequences of
the dynamics of the system. Parameterization is often used in system analysis
to determine the effect on the system of changing one parameter while
holding other parameters constant.
particle: Mechanics. 1. any finite object that may be considered
to have mass and an observable position in space. 2. Particle Physics.
a minute subdivision of matter such that it is a fundamental constituent
so small that it cannot be further subdivided.
particulates: very small pieces of solid or liquid matter such
as particles of soot, dust, fumes, mists or aerosols. The physical characteristics
of particles, and how they combine with other particles, are part of the
feedback mechanisms of the atmosphere (Source: Mintzer, 1992).
patterned ground: a ground surface feature generally found in periglacial
areas, characterized by well-defined, approximately symmetrical forms,
such as circles, polygons, steps, and stripes, produced by intensive frost
action.
pelagic: Of or in open waters of lakes or seas.
permeability: For a rock or an earth material, the ability to transmit
fluids; the rate at which liquids pass through soil or other materials
in a specified direction. It is measured by the rate at which a fluid
of standard viscosity can move through a material in a given interval
of time under a given hydraulic gradient.
perturbations: disturbances from an equilibrium condition.
phase velocity: Physics. in wave propagation, the velocity of a
surface of constant phase; this would be the speed of the wave.
phenols: A group of organic compounds that in very low concentrations
produce a taste and odor problem in water and which in higher concentrations
are toxic to aquatic life. They are byproducts of petroleum refining,
tanning, and textile, dye, and resin manufacturing processes.
photochemistry: Physical Chemistry. the branch of chemistry concerned
with chemical reactions caused or influenced by the effect of light.
photolysis: 1. the decomposition of a substance into simpler units
as a result of its absorbing light; e.g., the separation of hydrogen from
hydrogen sulfide in water. 2. any process in which radiant energy produces
a chemical change.
photic: of or relating to light, especially as it affects living
organisms.
photolysis: Physical Chemistry. 1. the decomposition of a substance
into simpler units as a result of its absorbing light; e.g., the separation
of hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide in water.the decomposition of a substance
into simpler units as a result of its absorbing light; e.g., the separation
of hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide in water. 2. any process in which radiant
energy produces a chemical change.
photolytic: relating to or involving a process of photolysis.
phytoplankton: small (often microscopic) aquatic plants suspended
in water.
plastic: Chemistry. describing any substance or material that is
capable of being shaped or molded, with or without the application of
heat. Mechanics. able to be deformed in any direction and to retain this
deformed shape without rupture.
Pleistocene: An epoch in Earth history from about 2-5 million years
to 10,000 years ago. Also refers to the rocks and sediment deposited in
that epoch.
polarity: the fact of being polar; specific uses include: Physics.
1. a physical property of some systems by which there exist two points
having opposite characteristics, such as an electric dipole. 2. the characteristic
of an alternating quantity indicating whether it is in its positive half-cycle
or its negative half-cycle. Electricity. 1. a characteristic of the poles
of a magnet (north or south), or of the terminals of a battery (positive
or negative.) a characteristic of the poles of a magnet (north or south),
or of the terminals of a battery (positive or negative.) 2. the direction
in which a direct current flows. Telecommunications. in a television picture
signal, the sense of the potential of a portion of a dark area of a scene
relative to that of a portion of a light area. Mathematics. a property
of a geometric configuration that opposite parts are distinguishable from
one another. Evolution. the direction of evolution or change within a
transformation series. Biochemistry. 1. the difference between the 5'
and 3' terminals of nucleic acids. 2. a mutation within a gene to inhibit
the translation of distal genes from the same operon.
polyandry: 1. describes the condition of a plant whose flowers
have many stamens (male pollen-producing structures). 2. describes the
practice of a female having two or more mates at the same time.
primary consumer: an organism that feeds on plant products and
that thus represents the first stage of consumption in a food chain.
primary production: the rate at which self-feeding organisms, such
as green plants, store energy as carbohydrates to be consumed by other
organisms.
primitive equations: the Eulerian equations of fluid motion in
which the primary dependent variables are the components of the fluid
velocity.
protist: any member of the kingdom Protista, which is one of five
kingdoms in a commonly used system of classification. It includes eukaryotic
unicellular organisms such as protozoa, paramecia, bacteria, yeasts, slime
molds, and unicellular algae.
Quaternary: Geophysics. the second period of the Cenozoic age,
beginning three million years ago and extending to the present. Geology.
relating to the rocks and deposits formed during this time.
radiative forcing: Reduction of radiation reflecting from earth
per units of increase of a chemical component that causes this change
in the atmosphere. The result is often used to compare the relative effect
of greenhouse gases which can alter climate on earth. This means that
components that are present in the atmosphere at low concentrations (e.g.,
methane at 1.7 ppmv) but with high radiative forcing have a greater effect
on global warming than higher concentration components with a lower radiative
forcing.
radionuclide: a nuclide containing isotopes that decay and emit
radiation.
radon: a gaseous radioactive element having the symbol Rn, the
atomic number 86, an atomic weight of 222, a melting point of -71°C,
a boiling point of -62°C, and 18 radioactive isotopes; it is an extremely
toxic, colorless gas; it can be condensed to a transparent liquid and
to an opaque, glowing solid; it is derived from the radioactive decay
of radium and is used in cancer treatment, as a tracer in leak detection,
and in radiography. (From the word radium, the substance from which it
is derived.). isotopic study (definition is included in abstract).
regime: Geology. a regular or systematic pattern of action or occurrence,
or a condition having widespread influence. Hydrology. 1. in a stream
channel, the reaching, over a period of years, of a state of equilibrium
between erosion and deposition. 2. the condition of a stream with respect
to its average flow rate, determined by measuring the volume of water
passing different cross sections in a given period of time.
remanent magnetization: Geophysics. the permanent magnetization
orientation of a rock, established at the time of the rock's formation
and conforming either to local ambient magnetic fields or to the orientation
of the earth's magnetic field at the time.
remineralization: the restoration of minerals to a tissue, such
as bone.
respiration (e.g., winter respiration): A biochemical process by
which living organisms take up oxygen from the environment and consume
organic matter, releasing both carbon dioxide and heat. In plants, the
organic matter in photosynthate produced during daylight hours (Source:
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, 1990).
rheology: the science of the flow and deformation of matter, generally
organic and inorganic liquids with suspended particles.
ribosomal RNA: a nucleic acid found in all living cells. Plays
a role in transferring
riparian zone: Land areas directly influenced by a body of water.
Usually such areas have visible vegetation or physical characteristics
showing this water influence. Streamsides, lake borders, and marshes are
typical riparian areas. Generally refers to such areas along flowing bodies
of water. The term Littoral is generally used to denote such areas along
non-flowing bodies of water.
scale: Physics. 1. the order of magnitude of some quantity. 2.
a one-to-one correspondence between a physical quantity and some numbering
or indexing system, or between two numbering systems, as in the centigrade
and Kelvin temperature scales. Cartography. a guide showing the relationship
between a distance on a map or drawing and the actual distance. Mechanical
engineering. 1. a graduated rule or instrument used in mechanical drawing
to measure linear dimensions.
SCAMP: Seafloor Characterization and Mapping Pod.
SDR: spatial domain radar.
SEM: scanning electron microscopy.
secondary production: the energy acquired by primary consumers
through the consumption of plant matter.
sedimentation: 1.The process where particles suspended in solution
settle out of the solution and to the bottom of the container. This can
occur by gravity alone, or by centrifugation (high-speed spinning). 2.
A sedimentological (geological) term for the settling of particles suspended
in moving water into layers over time in the same location to form sedimentary
deposits.
secular: continuing or taking place progressively throughout an
age or ages, without an observed recurrence in a cycle.
seismic reflection profiles: In this geophysical prospecting technique,
the structure of subsurface formations is mapped by making use of the
times required for a seismic wave (or pulse), generated in the Earth by
a near-surface explosion of dynamite or by other artificial sources, to
return to the surface after reflection from the formations themselves.
The reflections are recorded by detecting instruments responsive to ground
motion, which are laid along the ground near the site of generation of
the seismic pulse. Variations in the reflection times from place to place
on the surface usually indicate structural features in the rock below.
(Dobrin)
Sicco-type: term relating to a particular type of harpoon head
(Sicco) which is primarily found in classic Thule sites.
sink (e.g., of contaminants): This is a natural removal process
for pollutants in the troposphere such as dissolution and removal via
rain.
soil active layer: The surface layer of soil above the permafrost
that is subject to seasonal freezing and thawing. Also called frost zone.
solution: A liquid or gas which consists of two parts: a solvent
and a solute. The solute is any substance which is dissolved in the solvent.
sonar: Engineering. any system that uses underwater sound waves
to determine the location of objects or for communication. Acoustics.
specifically, a system that uses transmitted acoustic signals and echo
returns, as well as acoustic signals originating from other sources, for
navigating and determining position and bearing. (An acronym for sound
navigation and ranging.)
sorted (circles and stripes): Geology. 1. relating to patterned-ground
features displaying a border of stones, usually alternating with or surrounded
by smaller particles. 2. of or relating to an unconsolidated sediment
or a cemented detrital rock that consists of particles of essentially
uniform size or lying within limits of a single grade.
spatial: 1. of or relating to space; existing or occurring in some
space. 2. specifically, involving relations or measurements that have
to do with space, but that do not involve a description of time.
spectra: plural of spectrum.
spectroscope: A device for analyzing dispersed light producing
an observable spectrum; it consists of a slit, prism, collimator lens,
object lens, and grating.
spectrum: the complete range or array of entities in which some
phenomenon or system exists. Optics. also, visible spectrum. the visible
portion of all electromagnetic radiation; i.e., the band of colors that
is produced by white light passing through a prism, ranging from about
750 about 400 nanometers and generally perceived as appearing in a sequence
of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Physics. the
range of wavelengths or frequencies produced when any other form of electromagnetic
radiation is dispersed, such as gamma rays, X-rays, or radio waves; these
lie beyond the visible spectrum. Electronics. a continuous, usually wide
range of frequencies having a given common characteristic; the range of
frequencies in a given system.
standing stock: the number of organisms present in an area at a
particular time.
stratigraphy: refers to the origin, composition, distribution and
succession of geologic strata (layers).
stratosphere: 1. the region of the upper atmosphere lying above
the troposphere and below the mesosphere; characterized by a slight increase
in temperature with height and by stable, dry, and cloudless conditions.
2. in former use, all of the atmosphere above the troposphere.
strike (e.g., of Lomonsov Ridge): 1. The horizontal line marking
the intersection between the inclined plane of a solid geological structure
and the Earth's surface. 2. The compass direction of this line, measured
in degrees from true north.
subbottom profiler: An airborne downward-looking ground-penetrating
RADAR capable of ground penetration from 1 to 10 meters.
sublimation (e.g., of ice): vaporization of a solid without an
intermediate liquid phase.
substrate: 1. The specific molecule an enzyme acts upon. 2. A stationary
surface upon which other things can attach. For example: cells in culture
on a plastic or glass substrate, invertebrate larvae settling on a patch
of bare rock (a hard substrate), or worms burrowing into mud or other
sediment (a soft substrate).
surficial: relating to or occurring on or near a surface, usually
a land surface.
synergism: Science. an interaction of elements such that their
combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. Ecology.
specifically, the cooperative action of two or more organisms so that
the effect of their collective effort is greater than would be the sum
of any individual actions.
taxa: plural form of taxon, a group or category, at any level,
in a system for classifying plants or animals.
temporal: of or relating to time.
Tertiary: 1. the geologic subera or period of the Cenozoic era
extending from the end of the Mesozoic era to the beginning of the Quaternary
period, covering a time span from about 63 million to 1.6 million years
ago. 2. describing the rocks formed during that time.
thermal: Thermodynamics. of or relating to heat or heat transfer.
Meteorology. a localized air current that rises aloft when the lower atmosphere
is heated by earth's surface enough to produce an absolute instability
over a certain area; a common source of low-level clear-air turbulence.
thermodynamic: supplying, using, or accepting energy.
thermodynamics: the branch of science that is concerned in the
study of energy and with the relationship of heat transfer and work to
other forms of energy. Thermodynamics deals with the behavior of systems
in which temperature is a significant factor.
thermographic imaging technology: basis for instrument that allows
animals and their surroundings to be viewed by the thermal radiation emitted
by surfaces at normal temperatures.
thermography: Engineering. the process of temperature measurement,
using radiation emitted by an object. Radiology. specifically, a technique
in which an infrared camera is used to photographically portray the surface
temperatures of the body, based on the self-emanating infrared radiation;
sometimes used to diagnose underlying pathologic processes.
thermoluminescence: the glow or emission of light produced by the
application of heat; used to monitor the radiation dose to which a substance
has been exposed.
thermosphere: the atmospheric layer, constituting essentially all
of the atmosphere above the mesosphere, in which temperature increases
with height; includes the exosphere and most or all of the ionosphere.
Thule: in the ancient world, the region believed to be the northernmost
point on earth, variously identified as Iceland, Jutland, the Shetland
Islands, or other then-known northern areas.
time series: a set of observations of values in chronological order
that is used to determine the effect of time on the values observed; frequently
used to predict future or past values outside the observable time span.
top-down analysis: Computer Programming. a software development
process that begins with general or high-level requirements and proceeds
through progressively more detailed requirements and design.
tracer: a radioactive isotope that is added to a material in order
to facilitate monitoring the behavior of the material during a reaction.
Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK): see http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/tek.html
troposphere: the lowest layer of the atmosphere, lying between
the earth's surface and the tropopause, characterized by a steady drop
in temperature with altitude; the part of the atmosphere where weather
conditions exist and nearly all cloud formations occur.
uptake rate (e.g., oxygen): a measure of the average rate of oxygen
consumption by a culture, dependent on cell concentration and expressed
in volumetric terms.
vertical resolution (re models): Electronics. the number of horizontal
lines that can be discerned in the reproduced image of a television or
facsimile test pattern.
vertical resolution: Electronics - term meaning the number of horizontal
lines that can be discerned in the reproduced image of a television or
facsimile test pattern.
viscous: the tangential frictional forces or internal shearing
forces of a viscous fluid.
zooplankton: a community of floating, aquatic, minute animals and
nonphotosynthetic protists.
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