Geophysics & Environmental Physics
60 terms · page 3 of 3
Richter Scale
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
Logarithmic Magnitude (M_L / M_w)
A base-10 logarithmic scale quantifying earthquake magnitude based on the maximum amplitude of seismic waves recorded on a seismograph.
M_L = log₁₀(A / A₀), M_w = ⅔ log₁₀(M₀) - 6.07
Sea Level Rise
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
mm/year (Rate of Rise)
The ongoing increase in global mean sea level caused by thermal expansion of warming ocean water and meltwater input from glaciers and ice sheets.
Δh_sea = Δh_thermosteric + Δh_eustatic (Thermal Expansion + Meltwater)
Seafloor Spreading
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
cm/year (Spreading Rate)
The tectonic process occurring at mid-ocean ridges where new oceanic crust is created by upwelling mantle magma and moves laterally away.
Spreading Rate v = d / t ~ 2–16 cm/year
Seismic Waves (P & S Waves)
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
km/s (Seismic Wave Velocities)
Elastic body waves that propagate through Earth's interior during an earthquake, classified as Primary (P) waves and Secondary (S) waves.
v_P = √((K + ⁴/₃ μ) / ρ), v_S = √(μ / ρ)
Seismology
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
m/s (Wave Speeds)
The scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of mechanical elastic waves through the Earth's interior and surface layers.
v_p = √((K + ⁴/₃ μ) / ρ), v_s = √(μ / ρ)
Solar Wind Interaction
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
Plasma Density & Velocity
The plasma physics interaction between the Sun's supersonic coronal plasma stream and Earth's geomagnetic field.
Bow Shock Formation (Supersonic Magnetosheath Plasma Flow)
Specific Humidity
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
g/kg (Grams of Water Vapor per kg of Air)
The mass ratio of water vapor contained within an air parcel relative to the total mass of the moist air parcel.
q = m_v / (m_v + m_d) ≈ 0.622 e / P
Stratosphere
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
km (Altitude ~12 to 50 km)
The second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the tropopause (~12 km) up to the stratopause (~50 km), containing the protective ozone layer.
dT / dz > 0 (Temperature Inversion via O₃ Absorption)
Thermohaline Circulation
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
Sv (Sverdrups = 10⁶ m³/s)
The global deep-ocean density-driven circulation loop powered by surface variations in seawater temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline).
Density ρ = ρ(T, S, P) (Function of Temperature and Salinity)
Tidal Friction
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
ms/century (Length of Day Increase)
The gravitational interaction where ocean tidal bulges drag ahead of the Earth-Moon axis, causing frictional dissipation of Earth's rotational energy.
dΩ/dt < 0 (Earth rotation slowing by ~2.3 ms/century)
Troposphere
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
km (Altitude ~0 to 12 km)
The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the surface up to the tropopause (~7 to 18 km), containing ~80% of atmospheric mass and virtually all water vapor.
dT / dz ≈ -6.5 °C/km (Environmental Lapse Rate)
Wadati-Benioff Zone
Geophysics & Environmental Physics
km (Focal Depth)
A planar dipping zone of earthquake foci produced by the subduction of a cold, rigid oceanic lithospheric plate into the mantle.
Seismic Focal Depth down to ~670 km along dipping slab