Glossary of acronyms and technical terms
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- ABS
- Acoustic Backscatter System.
- ACCLAIM
- Antarctic Circumpolar Current Levels by Altimetry and Island. Contributes to the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) of the World Climate Research Programme.
- ADCP
- Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler.
- algorithm
- Arabic notation of numbers.
Process or rules for calculations.
- altimeter
- An instrument used to measure the height above sea level.
- amphidrome
- A point in the sea where there is zero tidal amplitude due to cancelling of tidal waves. Cotidal lines radiate from an amphidromic point and corange lines encircle it.
- anthropogenic
- Originated by man.
- baroclinic
- Atmospheric condition in which isobaric and constant-density surfaces are not parallel.
In the ocean when surfaces of constant pressure intersect surfaces of constant density.
- barotropic
- A state in a water mass in which the surfaces of constant pressure are parallel to the surfaces of constant density.
- bathymetry
- The charting of the ocean floor by taking soundings.
- BPR
- Bottom Pressure Recorder.
- calibrate
- find calibre of; correlate readings of (instrument etc) with a standard.
- CAMELOT
- Coastal Area Modelling for Engineering in the Long-Term. MAFF research programme.
- CARTUM
- Comparative Analysis and Rationalization of Second-Moment. EU MAST III project.
- COHERENS
- Coupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological Model for Regional and Shelf Seas. EU MAST project.
- DORIS
- Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite.
- ellipsoid
- A solid of which all plane sections through one axis are ellipses and all other plane sections are ellipses or circles.
- EMPHASYS
- Estuarine Morphology and Processes Holistic Assessment System. MAFF/EA/EN research programme.
- geodesy
- Science concerned with surveying and mapping the earth's surface to determine, e.g., its exact size, shape and gravitational field.
- GLOSS
- Global Sea Level Observing System. Research programme coordinated by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
- HOMER
- Homing Marine Environmental Recorder.
- IES
- Inverted Echo Sounder.
- INDIA
- Inlet Dynamics Initiative: Algarve. EU MAST III project.
- interdecadal
- Between ten years.
In groups of ten.
- isostatic
- In hydrostatic equilibrium from equality of pressure.
- JERICHO
- Impact of a Changing Wave Climate on our Coasts. BNSC Earth Observation Link Project.
- LOIS
- Land Ocean Interaction Study. UK NERC Project.
- MAIA
- Measuring Atlantic Inflow into the Arctic. EU MAST V project.
- morphodynamics
- Related to form and force.
- morphology
- The study of the forms of things.
- MYRTLE
- Multi-Year Return Tidal Level Equipment.
- NOMADS
- North Sea Model Advection Dispersion Study. EU MAST project.
- nepheloid layers
- A body of water with a high concentration of suspended sediment found near the deep ocean floor, close to the base of a continental slope.
- OMEX
- Ocean Margin Exchange. EU MAST project.
- oscillatory
- Moves to and fro between two points.
- parameterise
- To be constant in that case considered but varying in different cases.
- pelagic
- of, or performed on, the open sea/ belonging to the upper layers of open sea.
- pelagic-benthic
- Everything living in the sea.
- POLCOMS
- POL Coastal Ocean Modelling System.
- POLPRED
- POL Offshore tidal prediction software. Available from the Applications Group.
- POLTIPS
- POL Coastal tidal prediction software. Available from the Applications Group.
- potentiometer
- An instrument for measuring or adjusting electrical potential.
- PRARE
- Precise Range and Range-rate Equipment.
- PROMISE
- Pre-operational Modelling in the Seas of Europe. EU MAST III project.
- PROVESS
- Processes of Vertical Exchange in Shelf Seas. EU MAST III project.
- PSMSL
- Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level.
- scatterometer
- An instrument which measures dispersal.
- SCAWVEX
- Surface Current and Wave Variability Experiment. EU MAST II project.
- seiche
- The oscillation of a body of water at its natural period. Coastal
observations of sea-level often show seiches with amplitudes of a few centimeters and periods of a few
minutes due to oscillations of the local harbour, estuary or bay, superimposed on the normal tidal changes.
Seiches can also occur in lakes.
- SES
- Shelf Edge Study. Part of LOIS project.
- sextants
- Instrument with graduated arc of sixty degrees used in navigation and surveying for measuring angular distance of objects by means of mirrors.
- STABLE
- Sediment Transport And Boundary Layer Equipment.
- stochastic
- Governed by the laws of probability.
- STOWASUS
- Storm, Wave and Surge. EU MAST IV project.
- TGI
- Tide Gauge Inspectorate. The UK Tide Gauge Network.
- Tsunamis
- Waves generated by seismic activity, sometimes called
seismic sea waves. Tsunamis are also popularly, but inaccurately, called tidal waves. When they reach shallow
coastal regions, amplitudes may increase to several metres.
- turbidity
- being thick, muddy, not clear, confused, disordered.