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An atmospheric condition that exists when the environmental lapse rate is less than the moist adiabatic lapse rate.
- Browse Related Terms: absolutely stable air, Absolutely Unstable Air, Adiabatic Lapse Rate, conditionally unstable air, dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR), moist adiabatic lapse rate (MALR), neutral stability, planktonic foraminifera, Potential Temperature, saturation
An atmospheric condition that exists when the environmental lapse rate is less than the moist adiabatic lapse rate.
All > Science > Weather > Climate Change
An atmospheric condition that exists when the environmental lapse rate is greater than the dry adiabatic lapse rate.
- Browse Related Terms: absolutely stable air, Absolutely Unstable Air, Adiabatic Lapse Rate, conditionally unstable air, dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR), moist adiabatic lapse rate (MALR), neutral stability, planktonic foraminifera, Potential Temperature, saturation
An atmospheric condition that exists when the environmental lapse rate is greater than the dry adiabatic lapse rate.
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Energy imparted to a body by radiation, measured per unit mass (kg) of tissue.
National Tritium Labeling Facility (NTLF) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) - Cite This Source - This Definition- Browse Related Terms: absorbed dose, becquerel, Density, dose, dose equivalent, gray, Probability, RAD, relative biological effectiveness (RBE), sievert (Sv)
The amount of a chemical that enters the body of an exposed organism.
- Browse Related Terms: absorbed dose, Absorption factor, Acclimation, Baseline profile, Biological magnification (biomagnification), Biotic potential, Biotic pyramid, Biotype, Carnivore, Coliform, Demersal, drift, environment, Food chain, herbicide, Inorganic, Pollutant, Primary production, remote sensing
Water held mechanically in a soil or rock mass and having physical properties not substantially different from ordinary water at the same temperature and pressure. See adsorbed water.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorbed water, Adsorbed water, Anisotropic mass, Compressibility, Isotropic mass, Plasticity
A material that extracts one or more substances from a fluid (gas or liquid) medium on contact, and which changes physically and/or chemically in the process. The less volatile of the two working fluids in an absorption cooling device.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorbent, Bagasse, cellulose, Decomposition, diffusion, Flame Spread Classification, Fuel, Insulation, Masonry, Outgassing, phase change, Rammed Earth, Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF)
The component of a solar thermal collector that absorbs solar radiation and converts it to heat, or, as in a solar photovoltaic device, the material that readily absorbs photons to generate charge carriers (free electrons or holes).
- Browse Related Terms: Absorber, Band Gap, Band Gap Energy, Charge Carrier, Charge Controller, Conduction Band, Diffusion Length, Diode, Donor, Dopant, Electrical Energy, electrolyte, Electron, Hole, Ion, Valence Band
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Any material that stops ionizing radiation. Lead, concrete, and steel attenuate gamma rays. A thin sheet of paper or metal will stop or absorb alpha particles and most beta particles.
Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - Cite This Source - This Definition
All > Science > Weather > Climate Change
The process in which incident radiant energy is retained by a substance by conversion to some other form of energy.
- Browse Related Terms: absorption, Alternative energy, Cogeneration, combustion, Energy quality, Fugitive emissions, Heat sink, Heat source, Hydroelectric power plant, Hydropower, Jet fuel, Nuclear electric power
The passing of a substance or force into the body of another substance.
Taking in of fluids or other substances through, or as if through, cells or tissues. The uptake of water or dissolved chemicals by a cell or an organism (as tree roots absorb dissolved nutrients in the soil). Should not be confused with adsorption.
The process in which incident radiant energy is retained by a substance by conversion to some other form of energy.
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A type of air cooling device that uses absorption cooling to cool interior spaces.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorption Chiller, Ceiling Fan, Chiller, Cooling Capacity, Cooling Load, Dehumidifier, Desiccant Cooling, Filter (air), Flat-Black Paint, Recirculated Air, Return Air, Sensible Cooling Effect, Unitary Air Conditioner
In reference to a solar energy conversion devices, the degree to which a substance will absorb solar energy. In a solar photovoltaic device, the factor by which photons are absorbed as they travel a unit distance through a material.
- Browse Related Terms: absorption coefficient, Heliochemical Process, One Sun, Sizing, Solar Simulator, spectrum
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A process in which cooling of an interior space is accomplished by the evaporation of a volatile fluid, which is then absorbed in a strong solution, then desorbed under pressure by a heat source, and then recondensed at a temperature high enough that the heat of condensation can be rejected to a exterior space.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorption Cooling, Compression Chiller, Condensate, Cooling Tower, Czochralski Process, Dendritic Web Technique, Desuperheater, District Energy, Heat Pump, Heliothermic, Nocturnal Cooling, Regenerative Cooling, Roof Pond, Solar Access or Rights, Swamp Cooler
The fraction of a chemical making contact with an organism that is absorbed by the organism.
- Browse Related Terms: absorbed dose, Absorption factor, Acclimation, Baseline profile, Biological magnification (biomagnification), Biotic potential, Biotic pyramid, Biotype, Carnivore, Coliform, Demersal, drift, environment, Food chain, herbicide, Inorganic, Pollutant, Primary production, remote sensing
All > Science > Weather > Climate Change
The uptake of radiation by a solid body, liquid or gas. The absorbed energy may be transferred or re-emitted. See radiation.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorption of radiation, backscattered radiation, direct shortwave irradiance, downwelling longwave irradiance, downwelling shortwave irradiance, emittance, Flux, Irradiance, Potential Energy, radiance, shortwave irradiance, shortwave radiance, shortwave spectral irradiance, upwelling longwave irradiance, upwelling shortwave radiance
A system in which a secondary fluid absorbs the refrigerant, releasing heat, then releases the refrigerant and reabsorbs the heat. Ammonia or water is used as the vapor in commercial absorption cycle systems, and water or lithium bromide is the absorber.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorption Refrigeration, absorptivity, aperture, Blackbody, Endothermic, Heat sink, Heat source, Heat Storage, Photobiological Hydrogen Production, Radiative Cooling, Selective Absorber, Selective Surface Coating, Solar Thermal Systems
All > Science > Astronomy > Astrophysics
The spectra of electromagnetic radiation transmitted through a substance, with dark lines indicating the absorption of specific wavelengths.
- Browse Related Terms: Absorption Spectra, Black Body Spectrum, Electromagnetic Radiation, Energy Spectrum, Light, period, Scatter, Spectra, spectral line, Wavelength
All > Science > Weather > Climate Change
The efficiency of radiation absorption.
- Browse Related Terms: absorptivity, Albedo, black body, effective emissivity, Emissivity, Jet Stream Cirrus, longwave net radiation, net radiation, reflection, shortwave net radiation, sky brightness temperature, solar variability, Visibility
In a solar thermal system, the ratio of solar energy striking the absorber that is absorbed by the absorber to that of solar energy striking a black body (perfect absorber) at the same temperature. The absorptivity of a material is numerically equal to its emissivity.
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- Browse Related Terms: ABT, ABV, ACRS, AFT, AFTR, AGN, ALG, ALTHO, AMD, AOA, AOB, ARND, AVBL, BCM, BCMNG, BFR, BGN, BHND, BLO, BLV, BRF, BTR, BTWN, BYD, CFC, CHGS, CLR, DMSH, DURG, EBND, EFCT, ELSW, ENDG, ERLY, EXCLD, FASTST, FM, FTHR, GEN, GNRL, GRT, GRTST, GTR, HND, HV, HWVR, IMPT, INDC, LN, LRG, LTL, LTR, LTST, MDNGT, METRO, MISC, MISG, MNLY, MR, MSTLY, NBND, NEC, NIL, NLY, NMBR, NR, NWLY, NWRD, NWRN, NXT, OTR, OTRW, OVR, PCT, PRBLY, PSBL, PSBLY, QG, RIOGD, RTRD, RW, SBND, SEWD, SGFNT, SPCLY, SS-, Sun Dog, SVRL, SWWD, SXN, TDA, THRFTR, THRU, THRUT, TIL, TWD, WBND, WL, XCITED, YDA
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The part of a valley side (wall) against which a dam is constructed. An artificial abutment is sometimes constructed as a concrete gravity section, to take the thrust of an arch dam where there is no suitable natural abutment. Right and left abutments are those on respective sides of an observer looking downstream.
That part of the valley wall against which the dam is constructed. The part of a dam that contacts the riverbank. A structure that supports the ends of a dam or bridge. An artificial abutment is sometimes constructed, as a concrete gravity section, to take the thrust of an arch dam where there is no suitable natural abutment. Action or place of abutting; the part of a structure that is the terminal point or receives thrust or pressure. Defined in terms of left and right as looking away from the reservoir, looking downstream (i.e., left abutment, right abutment).
The part of a valley or canyon wall against which a dam is constructed. Right and left abutments are those on respective sides of an observer looking downstream.
- Browse Related Terms: Abutment, Adit, Crest Length, Gallery, Groin, Juvenile salmon, Left Abutment, Right Abutment, Seep, Upstream blanket, Volume of Concrete, Volume of dam
The part of a valley or canyon wall against which a dam is constructed. Right and left abutments are those on respective sides of an observer looking downstream.
Reservoir water that moves through seams or pores in the natural abutment material and exits as seepage.
- Browse Related Terms: Abutment Seepage, Angle of internal friction (angle of shear resistance), ASTM, Concentrated flow path, Conveyor, digitizer, Ductility, Factor of safety, Feather, Flail, Nominal size, Ply, Specific Yield, Vein, Water saturation, Windrow
Reservoir water that moves through seams or pores in the natural abutment material and exits as seepage.
- Browse Related Terms: Abutment Seeping, Active Storage Capacity, Afterbay, Area-Capacity Curve, Bank Storage, Contents, Dead Storage, Density Current, Downstream Slope, Drought, Drought Index, Excess Rain, Flood Control Storage, Hydrologic Budget, Inactive Storage Capacity, Live Capacity, Maximum Spillway Discharge, Normal Water Surface Elevation, Outlet, Pool, Sediment Storage Capacity, Spring, Stilling basin, Surcharge Capacity, Winter Pool