Glossary

Oceanography Terms

The following are a list of information sheets that the reader may find useful.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler

Fixed to the hull of a research ship, the profiler sends a signal to a depth of 300 metres to measure current speeds at different depths.

Atmospheric Model

An Atmospheric Model is constructed around the set of equations which govern atmospheric motions, and supplements these equations with parameters derived from related data such as radiation, formation of clouds, heat exchange and more. Most atmospheric models are numerical.

Climate Monitoring

Climate Monitoring is the process of observing and understanding the climate through accurate long-term records of climactic elements such as atmospheric gases, solar radiation, and ozone depletion.

Climatologists

Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time. A climatologist is a scientist who studies this area.

Conductivity Temperature Depth Probe

This electronic measuring system is a mainstay of ocean research, providing details of temperature, salinity and nutrients, dissolved oxygen and chlorofluorocarbons to depths of 6,000 metres.

Currents

An ocean current is any more or less permanent or continuous directed movement of ocean water that flows in one of the Earth's oceans.

Eddies

An eddy is the swirling of sea water and the reverse current created when the water flows past an obstacle.

El Niño

El Niño refers to a sustained warming over a large part of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Combined with this warming are changes in the atmosphere that affect weather patterns across much of the Pacific Basin, including Australia.

Exclusive Economic Zone

Under the law of the sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources.

Expendable Bathythermograph

A device for obtaining a record of temperature as a function of depth from a moving ship.

Forecasting

Forecasting is the process of extimation in unknown situations. Climate forecasting is used to generate weather reports.

Gyre

A gyre is any manner of swirling vortex. It is used to describe both wind and ocean currents.

La Niña

La Niña is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific.

Oceanography

Oceanography is a branch of earth sciences studying the oceans and seas. It is also called marine science.

Ocean Charts

Ocean Charts depict the current known state of a range of environmental conditions in the oceans over a set period of time.

Ocean Forecasting

Ocean forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the oceans for a future time and given location.

Ocean Profilers

An ocean profiler is a piece of ocean observing equipment that collects data for oceanographers.

Salinity

Salinity is the dissolved salt content of seawater. The ocean is naturally saline at approximately 3.5% salt. Salinity is an cological factor of considerable importance, influencing the types of organisms present in seawater.

Scatterometers

A radar scatterometer is designed to determine the normalized radar cross section of the surface. Most scatterometers measure near-surface winds over the ocean, and are particularly useful for monitoring hurricanes.

Subsurface

Below the top of the ocean.

Upwelling

An upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involved wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface. This displaces the warmer, nutrient-poor surface water and has significant effect on fish stocks.