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Eng ID Term Definition
4521
Saint Elmo's fire
Faintly luminous electrical di­scharge in the ATMOSPHERE: this discharge, more or less continuous and of slight or moderate intensity, emana... more
Faintly luminous electrical di­scharge in the ATMOSPHERE: this discharge, more or less continuous and of slight or moderate intensity, emana­tes from objects which present a high surface electric field, in particular from points and sharp edges.
4522
Saint Hilaire method
See MARCQ ST. HILAIRE METHOD.
4523
salina
A SALT MARSH or salt POND separated from the SEA but flooded by HIGH TIDES.
4524
salinity
A measure of the quantity of dissolved salts in SEA WATER. It is normally defined as the total amount of dissolved solids in SEA WATER in pa... more
A measure of the quantity of dissolved salts in SEA WATER. It is normally defined as the total amount of dissolved solids in SEA WATER in parts per thousand (‰) by WEIGHT when all the carbonate has been converted to oxide, the bromide and iodide to chloride, and all organic matter is completely oxidiz­ed. These qualifications result from the chemical diffi­culty in drying the salts in SEA WATER. In practice, salinity is not determined directly but is computed from CHLORIN­ITY, electrical conductivity, refractive index, or some other property whose rela­tionship to salinity is well established. Because of the Law of Constancy of Proportions, the amount of CHLORINITY in a sea water sample is used to establish the sample's salinity. The relationship between chlorinity Cl and salinity S as set forth in Knudsen's Tables is S = 0.03 + 1.805 Cl. A joint committee of IAPO, UNESCO, ICES, and SCOR proposed the universal adoption of the following equation for determining salinity from CHLORINITY: S = 1.80655 Cl. It was adopted by IAPO in 1963 and ICES in 1964.
4525
salinometer
Any device or instrument for determining SALINITY, especially one based on electrical conduc­tivity methods.
4526
sallying ship
Producing rolling motion of a vessel by the running in unison of a group from side to side. This is usually done to help float a vessel whic... more
Producing rolling motion of a vessel by the running in unison of a group from side to side. This is usually done to help float a vessel which is aground or to assist it to make HEADWAY when it is BESET by ICE.
4527
salt marsh
Flat, poorly drained coastal SWAMPS which are flooded by most HIGH TIDES.
4528
salt pans
Shallow POOLS of brackish water used for the natural evaporation of SEA WATER to obtain salt.
4529
sample
A representative part or single item from a lar­ger whole or group especially produced for in­spection or to give evidence of quality.
4530
sampling
The process of taking samples.
4531
sand
Loose material consisting of small but easily distinguishable, separate grains, between 0.0625 and 2.000 millimetres in diameter.
4532
sand dune
A RIDGE of SAND piled up by the action of WIND on sea coasts or in deserts.
4533
sanding
An irregular dot pattern used on some of the early HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYS to accentuate the area between the HIGH- and LOW-WATER LINES.
4534
sandwave
A large wavelike sediment feature in very shallow water and composed of sand. The wavelength may reach 100 metres; the amplitude may be up ... more
A large wavelike sediment feature in very shallow water and composed of sand. The wavelength may reach 100 metres; the amplitude may be up to 20 metres. Also sand-wave or sand wave. Sometimes called a mega-ripple.
4535
sargasso (or sargassum)
A certain type of SEAWEED, or more generally, a large floating mass of this SEAWEED.
4536
saros
The eclipse cycle of about 18 YEARS, almost the same length as 223 SYNODICAL MONTHS. At the end of each saros the SUN, MOON, and LINE OF NOD... more
The eclipse cycle of about 18 YEARS, almost the same length as 223 SYNODICAL MONTHS. At the end of each saros the SUN, MOON, and LINE OF NODES return to ap­proximately the same relative positions, and another series of ECLIPSES begins, closely resembling the series just completed.
4537
satellite
A relatively small CELESTIAL BODY revolv­ing around a PLANET. Name sometimes given to the fictitious bodies assumed in the HARMONIC ANALYSIS... more
A relatively small CELESTIAL BODY revolv­ing around a PLANET. Name sometimes given to the fictitious bodies assumed in the HARMONIC ANALYSIS OF TIDES.
4538
satellite: artificial
An object placed by man in ORBIT around the EARTH, or other CELESTIAL BODY. See NAVIGA­TIONAL (or NAVIGATION) SATELLITE.
4539
satellite: navigational (or navigation)
See NAVIGATIO­N­AL (or NAVIGATION) SATELLITE.
4540
satellite boat
A subsidiary boat used in PARALLEL SOUNDING.