Solar Energy terms starting with R

43 terms

Rain shadow effect The region on the lee (sheltered) side of a mountain or mountain range where the precipitation is noticeably less than on the windward side, because the…
Rangeland Land on which the native vegetation, climax, or natural potential consists predominately of grasses, grasslike plants, forbs, or shrubs.
Rankine steam cycle The thermodynamic cycle of temperature and pressure changes of water as it is converted from a liquid to a gaseous state by heating, and returns back to…
RAPTOR A bird of prey such as a falcon, hawk, or eagle.
Rare species See Special status species
Rated battery capacity The term used by battery manufacturers to indicate the maximum amount of energy that can be withdrawn from a battery under specified discharge rate and…
Rebound (of water levels) The recovery/rise of the water level in a groundwater aquifer after groundwater pumping has ceased.
Receiver The component of a central receiver solar thermal system where reflected solar energy is absorbed and converted to thermal energy.
receptor (reh-SEP-ter) A molecule inside or on the surface of a cell that binds to a specific substance and causes a specific physiologic effect in the cell.
Recharge Water that infiltrates into the ground, usually from above, that replenishes groundwater reserves, provides soil moisture, and affords evapotranspiration.
Reclamation The process of restoring surface environment to acceptable pre-existing conditions.
Reclamation withdrawal Withholding an area of public land from the operation of the public land laws for the purpose of reserving the land for the use of the Bureau of…
Record of Decision (ROD) The Record of Decision (ROD) is a public document that explains which cleanup alternatives will be used to clean up a Superfund site.
Reflector A component of a solar energy facility that reflects incident sunlight to a desired location or component within the facility, allowing it to be converted…
Region of Influence (ROI) Area occupied by affected resources and the distances at which impacts associated with license renewal may occur.
Regular-track proposals Proposals on public land with pending applications considered as potential future projects, but not necessarily foreseeable projects, since not all…
Relict A land surface that was once a basin (valley) floor.
Renewable Resource Generation Development Area (GDA) Regions within Colorado with a concentration of renewable resources that provide a minimum of 1,000 MW of developable electric generating capacity.
Reptile Cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia whose skin is usually covered in scales or scutes.
Reserved Water Right A special water right accompanying federal lands (military reservations, national parks, forests, or monuments) or Indian reservations.
Reservoir A reservoir of an infectious agent, such as a virus, is any animal, person, plant, soil, substance—or combination of any of these — in which the…
Residuum Unconsolidated, weathered, or partly weathered mineral material that accumulates by disintegration of bedrock in place.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) The primary goals of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste…
Resource Management Plan (RMP) A land use plan that establishes land use allocations, multiple use guidelines, and management objectives for a given planning area.
Retinal damage Damage to photoreceptor cells of the retina. One mechanism for such damage is exposure to bright light that triggers chemical reactions in the tissues…
Reuse The reclamation of water diverted from a municipal or industrial wastewater conveyance system.
Rhyolite Volcanic rock (or lava), characteristically light in color and containing 69% silica or more and generally rich in potassium and sodium (felsic…
Rhyolitic domes See also Dome, volcanic; Rhyolite
Richter Magnitude Scale Developed in 1935 by Charles Richter to measure and compare the size of earthquakes.
Rift An area where the Earth's crust and lithosphere is being pulled apart by extensional tectonic forces.
Rift zone A tectonic feature characterized by a central linear downfaulted segment (graben) with parallel normal faulting and flanking uplifts (horsts).
Right-lateral fault See Fault, right-lateral
Right-of-way (ROW) The legal right to cross the lands of another. Also used to indicate the strip of land for a road, railroad, or power line.
Rill A small and shallow incision into topsoil layers resulting from erosion by overland flow or surface runoff that is common on slopes of unvegetated ground…
Rinsate Water that is used to rinse or clean equipment or reaction vessels and that may, as a result, become contaminated and require special handling and…
Riparian Relating to, living in, or located on the bank of a river, lake, or tidewater.
Riparian obligate species Plants or animal species found only in riparian habitats.
Risk The possibility of loss; the uncertainty of future returns.
River Basin The land area surrounding one river from its headwaters to its mouth. The area drained by a river and its tributaries.
Riverine wetland Wetlands within river and stream channels, generally characterized by flowing water. Ocean-derived salinity is less than 0.5 part per thousand.
Rock art Images on rock surfaces. There are two types of rock art: pictographs, which are drawn or painted onto the surface, and petroglyphs, which are pecked…
Rock outcrop The part of a rock formation that appears above the surface of the surrounding land.
Roost An area where birds or bats rest or sleep. Birds often use branches or tree cavities for roosts while bats use tree bark, tree hollows, caves, mines…