Climate Change — page 3 of 10

922 terms

Climate Change terms

  1. cloud liquid water The concentration (mass/vol) of liquid water droplets in a cloud.
  2. cloud top height For a given cloud or cloud layer, the highest level of the atmosphere where cloud properties are detectable.
  3. Co-Benefit The benefits of policies that are implemented for various reasons at the same time – including climate change mitigation – acknowledging that most…
  4. Co-control benefit The additional benefit derived from an environmental policy that is designed to control one type of pollution, while reducing the emissions of other…
  5. Coal A black or brownish black solid, combustible substance formed by the partial decomposition of vegetable matter without access to air.
  6. Coal coke A hard, porous product made from baking bituminous coal in ovens at temperatures as high as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Coal gasification Conversion of solid coal to synthetic natural gas (SNG) or a gaseous mixture that can be burned as a fuel.
  8. Coal liquefaction Conversion of solid coal to a liquid fuel such as synthetic crude oil or methanol.
  9. Coal Mine Methane Coal mine methane is the subset of CBM that is released from the coal seams during the process of coal mining.
  10. Coalbed methane A methane-rich gas, similar to natural gas, produced from in-situ coal through drilled wells that are typically completed open-hole, as opposed to the…
  11. Coalescence The process by which water droplets in a cloud collide and come together to form raindrops.
  12. Cogeneration The generation of electricity or shaft power by an energy conversion system and the concurrent use of rejected thermal energy from the conversion system…
  13. cold front A weather condition accompanied by high, clear skies, and a sudden drop in temperature.
  14. Cold low Cold low (or cold cyclone) At a given level in the atmosphere, any low that is generally characterized by colder air near its center than around its…
  15. collaborating program A program joining with the ARM Program to pursue a specific set of objectives by providing resources and participating in active planning and execution of…
  16. Collection Efficiency The fraction of droplets approaching a surface that actually deposit on that surface.
  17. Combustion The process of burning; the oxidation of a material by applying heat, which unites oxygen with a material or fuel.
  18. Commercial Sector Consists of businesses that are not engaged in transportation or manufacturing or other types of industrial activities.
  19. Compost Partially decomposed organic plant and animal matter that can be used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer. See decomposition.
  20. Composting The process of degrading organic material (biomass) by microorganisms in aerobic conditions.
  21. Compound (KOM-pownd) In science, a substance that is made up of more than one ingredient.
  22. Concentration Amount of a chemical in a particular volume or weight of air, water, soil, or other medium.
  23. Condensation The process by which water in air changes from a vapor to a liquid due to a change in temperature or pressure; occurs when water vapor reaches its dew…
  24. Conditionally Unstable Air An atmospheric condition that exists when the environmental lapse rate is less than the dry adiabatic lapse rate but greater than the moist adiabatic…
  25. Conduction The transfer of heat through a material by the transfer of kinetic energy from particle to particle; the flow of heat between two materials of different…
  26. Conference of the Parties The supreme body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
  27. Conifer A plant commonly having needlelike, persistent leaves and a woody cone for a fruit.
  28. Coniferous trees Cone-bearing trees, mostly evergreens, that have needle-shaped or scale-like leaves. They produce wood known commercially as softwood. See deciduous trees.
  29. contrail (condensation trail) A cloudlike streamer frequently seen forming behind aircraft flying in clear, cold, humid air.
  30. Convection The movement of matter due to changes in temperature and density. Warm material rises because it is less dense (lighter) and cool material sinks because…
  31. Convection cloud Convection cloud Cumuliform cloud which forms in the atmosphere as a result of convection. Such clouds are also called clouds of vertical development.
  32. convective condensation level (CCL) (CCL) The level above the surface marking the base of a cumuliform cloud that is forming due to surface heating and rising thermals.
  33. Convergence Integration of computing, communications and broadcasting systems.
  34. cooperating program A program or agency supporting a specific ARM effort, such as a field campaign, wherein ARM provides the resources.
  35. Coriolis Force A fictitious force used to account for the apparent deflection of a body in motion with respect to the earth, as seen by an observer on the earth.
  36. Corrective Action Report (CAR) (CAR) Used to identify and document problems with ARM systems, physical infrastructure, or instruments.
  37. Criteria pollutant A pollutant determined to be hazardous to human health and regulated under EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
  38. Crop residue Organic residue remaining after the harvesting and processing of a crop.
  39. Crop rotation A pattern of changing the crops grown in a specific field from year to year in order to control pests and maintain soil fertility.
  40. Crude oil A mixture of hydrocarbons that exist in liquid phase in underground reservoirs and remain liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through surface…
  41. Cryosphere One of the interrelated components of the Earth's system, the cryosphere is frozen water in the form of snow, permanently frozen ground (permafrost)…
  42. crystal habit The size and shape of the crystals in a crystalline solid. Also known as habit.
  43. Cumuliform Descriptive of all clouds with vertical development in the form of rising mounds, domes, or towers
  44. Cumulonimbus A cloud belonging to a class indicative of thunderstorm conditions characterized by large, dense towers that often reach altitudes of 30,000 feet (9000…
  45. Cumulus (Abbrev. CU) - detached clouds, generally dense and with sharp outlines, showing vertical development in the form of domes, mounds, or towers.
  46. cup anemometer An instrument used to monitor wind speed. Wind rotation of cups generates and electric current calibrated in wind speed.
  47. Cyclogenesis (Abbrev. CYCLGN) - The formation or intensification of a cyclone or low-pressure storm system.
  48. Cyclolysis Cyclolysis Process of weakening or terminating of a cyclonic circulation in the atmosphere; the opposite of cyclogenesis.
  49. Cyclone (abbrev. CYC) - A large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere…
  50. Cyclone movement Cyclone movement The spatial displacement of a center of low pressure caused by the local redistribution of mass in the atmosphere.
  51. Cyclonic Circulation Circulation (or rotation) which is in the same sense as the Earth's rotation, i.e.
  52. Dansgaard-Oeschger event one of a series of climate changes during the last glacial period that occurred roughly every few thousand years.
  53. Data Archive Serves as long-term storage for ARM data to keep data easily accessible. It is located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
  54. Data Management Facility (DMF) (DMF) Manages ARM datastream and provides for the collection, processing, analysis, and delivery of ARM data.
  55. Data Management System (DMS) (DMS) Controls the data flow and minimizes data loss. Its primary functions are data collection, storage, and processing.
  56. data object description The basic information, definitions, and metadata required to process "raw" measurement data to standard NetCDF files.
  57. Data Quality Assessment Report (DQAR) (DQAR) An assessment report issued by the Data Quality Office and/or instrument mentors based on a data quality inspection.
  58. Data Quality Health and Status (DQ HandS) (DQ HandS) The Data Quality Office website that displays automatically generated data quality results.
  59. Data Quality Office (DQO) (DQO) Formed in July 2000 to coordinate ARM's Data Quality Program.
  60. Data Quality Problem Report (DQPR) (DQPR) An ARM infrastructure problem report issued to site operators by the Data Quality Office, instrument mentors, and/or site scientists to report a problem…
  61. Data Quality Program Run by the ARM Program Data Quality Office to help coordinate the continued evolution and implementation of efforts to assure the quality of the data…
  62. Data Quality Report (DQR) (DQR) Used to identify and document problems with ARM systems, physical infrastructure, or instruments.
  63. datastream Similar files that are in a time-sequenced series.
  64. Deciduous trees Trees such as oaks and maples that lose their leaves during part of the year. See coniferous trees.
  65. Decomposition The process of breaking down organic material; reduction of the net energy level and change in physical and chemical composition of organic material.
  66. deepwater an ocean water mass with relatively uniform temperature, salinity, and density, found near the bottom of the ocean.
  67. Deforestation Those practices or processes that result in the conversion of forested lands for non-forest uses.
  68. Degradable See biodegradable.
  69. Density The average number of people, families, or housing units on one unit of land. Density is also expressed as dwelling units per acre.
  70. Deposition An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths.
  71. Depression A depression is a severe and prolonged downturn in the economy. Prices fall, reducing purchasing power.
  72. Depth of snow Depth of snow Vertical interval between the top surface of a snow layer and the ground beneath; the layer is assumed to be evenly spread over the ground…
  73. derived product A new datastream generated by applying an algorithm or model to existing data.
  74. Desertification When soil erosion is so severe that plants and animals can no longer exist.
  75. Deuterium A special form of hydrogen (an isotope called "heavy hydrogen") that has a neutron as well as a proton in its nucleus.
  76. Dew point The temperature to which air with a given quantity of water vapor must be cooled to cause condensation of the vapor in the air.
  77. Diamond Dust A fall of non-branched (snow crystals are branched) ice crystals in the form of needles, columns, or plates.
  78. Diatom Single-celled or colonial algae whose cell walls are made of silica.
  79. diffuse insolation The solar radiation that is scattered or reflected by atmospheric components (e.g., clouds) to the earth's surface.
  80. diffuse shortwave irradiance All of the solar radiation, across the wavelength range of 0.4 and 4 µm, coming directly from the sky except for solar radiation coming directly from the…
  81. diffuse spectral irradiance The narrow spectral range of measurements coming directly from the sky except for solar radiation coming directly from the sun whose wavelength falls…
  82. direct insolation The solar radiation that is transmitted directly through the atmosphere to the earth's surface without interacting with atmospheric components.
  83. direct shortwave irradiance Radiant energy, across the wavelength range of 0.4 and 4 µm, that is transferred directly from the sun to the receiver.
  84. direct spectral irradiance The narrow spectral range of measurements coming directly from the sun whose wavelength falls within the solar range of 0.4 and 4 µm.
  85. Distillate fuel oil Products of refinery distillation sometimes referred to as middle distillates; kerosene, diesel fuel, and home heating oil. No.
  86. Diurnal During the daytime.
  87. divergence The expansion or spreading out of a vector field; usually said of horizontal winds. It is the opposite of convergence.
  88. Dolomite A magnesium-rich carbonate sedimentary rock. Also, a magnesium-rich carbonate mineral (CaMgCO3).
  89. doppler velocity (m/s) (m/s) When used, the positive is down (towards the radar). Particle and air motions contribute to the velocity.
  90. Downdraft (Abbrev. DWNDFT) - A small-scale column of air that rapidly sinks toward the ground, usually accompanied by precipitation as in a shower or thunderstorm.
  91. downwelling longwave irradiance The total diffuse and direct radiant energy, at wavelengths longer than approximately 4 µm, that is being emitted downwards.
  92. downwelling shortwave irradiance The total diffuse and direct radiant energy that comes from some continuous range of directions, at wavelengths between 0.
  93. Drift of ice Drift of ice Displacement of a sea ice field from its place of origin under the effect of ocean currents and winds.
  94. Drifting buoy Drifting buoy Floating (or drifting on ice) ocean buoy equipped with meteorological and/or oceanographic sensing instruments linked to transmitting…
  95. Drifting Snow Drifting snow is an uneven distribution of snowfall/snow depth caused by strong surface winds. Drifting snow may occur during or after a snowfall.
  96. Drifting stations Drifting stations (drifting ice stations) Research stations on the floes of the Arctic Ocean.
  97. Drizzle Precipitation consisting of numerous minute droplets of water less than 0.5 mm (500 micrometers) in diameter.
  98. dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR) (DALR) The rate at which the temperature of a parcel of dry air decreases as the parcel is lifted in the atmosphere. The dry adiabatic lapse rate is 5.
  99. Dry Line A boundary separating moist and dry air masses, and an important factor in severe weather frequency in the Great Plains.
  100. Earth radiation Earth radiation (terrestrial radiation) The total infrared radiation emitted from the Earth's surface; to be carefully distinguished from effective…

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