DICTIONARY OF GEOPHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, and ASTRONOMY

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quay quay A wharf used for docking, loading, and unloading ships. quenching See current saturation (cosmic string). quicksand See liquefaction. quiet sun The state of the sun when no sunspots, solar flares, or solar prominences are © 2001 by CRC Press LLC 384 taking place. Also refers to the regions of the sun outside the active regions containing no filaments or prominences. The quiet sun typically consists of regions of mixed-polarity magnetic field (“salt-and-pepper”), which are continuously being reprocessed in a series of flux cancellations and flux emergence. Quiet sun coincides with minimal magnetospheric storms and minimal solar wind flux on the Earth. The last quiet sun minimum occurred in 1989.
R R 136 See 30 Doradus. Raadu–Kuperus configuration See filament. rad In describing the interaction of nuclear particles with matter, an amount of radiation equivalent to the deposition of an absorbed energy of 100 ergs per gram of the absorbing material. radar An acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. Although early radar operated at a frequency of tens of Megahertz, current radars operate in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and work by “shining” a pulsed or continuous beam of microwave energy at an object and measuring the time delay for energy reflected back. Radar is often referred to as L-Band (1–2 GHz), S-Band (2–4 GHz), C- Band (4–8 GHz), X-Band (8–12 GHz), and Kband (12–18, 27–40 GHz). These designations were assigned by the military during the early development of radar in WWII. Each designation has a specific application. Imaging radars are generally considered to include wavelengths from 1 mm to 1 m. Navigation radars make use of the longer wavelengths (lower frequencies). radian A (dimensionless) measure of angle defined by the ratio of the length of the arc s on a circle contained within the angle θ, to the radius r of the circle: θ = s/r . Because a full circle has circumference of 2πr, the radian measure of a circle (360 ◦ )is2π. Hence, and 1 ◦ = 2π/360 radians ∼ 0.01745 radians , 1 radian = 360/(2π) ◦ ∼ 57.296 ◦ . © 2001 by CRC Press LLC radiation belts radiance The radiant power in a beam per unit solid angle per unit area perpendicular to the beam per unit wavelength interval [W m −2 sr −1 nm −1 ]. radiation Any sort of propagation of particles or energy from a source. Examples include electromagnetic radiation (visible light, X-rays, gamma rays, radio, infrared, ultraviolet), neutrino radiation, gravitational radiation, and particle streaming (alpha radiation, beta radiation, neutron flux, heavy ion radiation). radiation belts Regions containing substantial densities of energetic particles, typically electrons or protons, confined to the near magnetic equatorial regions of a planet, due to the planet’s magnetic field. Particle injection into the radiation belts is from solar wind and solarmagnetosphere interactions. The Van Allen belts are the terrestrial example. Trapping occurs as a result of the Earth’s near-dipolar shape of the magnetic field characterized by magnetic field lines that converge at high latitudes resulting in an increased field strength compared with the equatorial region. The radiation belts were one of the first major discoveries made by satellites and are often called the “Van Allen radiation belts” after J. A. Van Allen. The Van Allen belts are divided into two regions, an inner region centered at 1.5 Earth radii at the equator, and an outer region centered at 3.5 Earth radii. Particle populations in the inner belt are very stable and long-lived, while the outer zone particle populations vary with solar and geomagnetic activity. Inner belt particles mostly have high energies (MeV range) and originate from the decay of secondary neutrons created during collisions between cosmic rays and upper atmospheric particles. Outer belt protons are lower in energy (about 200 eV to 1 MeV) and come from solar wind interactions. The outer belt is also characterized by highly variable fluxes of energetic electrons sensitive to the geomagnetic storms. During storm periods the particles may undergo radial and pitch angle diffusion propelling them toward Earth where they collide with exospheric or geocorona particles. The disturbed electrons can be precipitated into the middle ionosphere enhancing ionization and thus affecting radio propagation. The giant
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© 2001 by CRC Press LLC DICTIONARY
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a Volume in the Comprehensive Dicti
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PREFACE This work is the result of
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Curtis Mobley Sequoia Scientific, I
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© 2001 by CRC Press LLC Editorial
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A-boundary A-boundary (or atlas bou
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accretion, Eddington presenceispart
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active front active front An active
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ADM mass is the extrinsic curvature
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afternoon cloud (Mars) are the syno
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albedo because the horizontal dimen
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Allan Hills meteorite Allan Hills m
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anabatic wind layers of the star, t
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anomalistic year anomalistic year S
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anticyclonic anticyclonic Any rotat
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archaeoastronomy A coronal arcade i
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ascending node of functions), f(−
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astronomical refraction such as mou
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atmosphere effect mass of the atmos
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aurora australis Earth’s magnetic
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axial dipole principle an order of
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Ballerina model tosphere through lu
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asalt In 1967 Sakharov identified t
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eam spread function erates auroral
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Beta Lyrae systems Beaufort Wind Sc
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Big Bang cosmology universe must ha
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inary star system time (see light-c
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lack hole black hole A region of sp
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BL Lacertae object shift z = 0.07,
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oson boson An elementary particle o
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Brazil current A generalization of
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Brunt frequency companions to somew
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utterfly diagram a very recent epoc
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Callisto ing probability is as high
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carbonaceous chondrite the object w
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Cartesian coordinates 5.4 5.2 5.0 4
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cataclysmic variable [binary models
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Celsius, Anders tions from the Eart
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Čerenkov radiation γ -rays in pur
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charge exchange an ordinary differe
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circulation density against polar a
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coastally trapped waves coastally t
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color excess color excess A measure
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comet, artificial in 2003, rendezvo
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computational relativity defined by
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conservation of angular momentum Bu
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continental plate types of continen
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conversion efficiency Temperature (
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core collapse the Earth has a core
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Coriolis Coriolis A term used to re
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coronal lines Except possibly for t
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cosmic microwave background, dipole
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cosmic nucleosynthesis temperature
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cosmochemistry of space surrounded
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cosmology does not apply at small (
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crater depth-diameter plots with a
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critical level they are recorded fr
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Curie (Ci) Curie (Ci) The special u
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curve of growth classical) field th
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cyclongenesis air masses along fron
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dark matter, cold study of clusters
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decibel universe and . indicates th
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de Hoffman-Teller frame de Hoffman-
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detritus detritus The particulate d
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differential heating/cooling differ
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diffusion creep wind speed. The ter
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dike results. Because the particle
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Dione at the new minima, so that th
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dispersion dispersion A phenomenon
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diurnal motion the non-periodic var
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Doppler broadening Doppler broadeni
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dragging phenomenon skin friction.
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ductile behavior variables of space
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dynamic recrystallization dynamic r
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earthquake intensity tude represent
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echelle spectrograph a central mass
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effective pressure independent theo
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Einstein Universe where Rab is the
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Electra Electra Magnitude 3.8 type
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elevation particles have been inter
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emissivity cence of aromatic hydroc
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energy particles are accelerated at
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environmental lapse rate environmen
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equatorial bulge tor being driven u
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equilibrium vapor pressure equilibr
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Eulerian Represents Newton’s 2nd
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exact solution The path of a star i
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extreme ultraviolet (EUV) extreme u
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fall speed (velocity) can be lofted
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F corona F corona The Fraunhofer, o
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figure of the Earth See cosmic topo
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first-order wave theory the fields
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flat universe flat universe A model
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focal mechanisms rays arriving para
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force balance force balance A term
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Fraunhofer lines where M is the mas
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friction velocity friction velocity
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F star where E and B are the electr
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G gabbro A coarse-grained igneous r
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Galilei (1564-1642). See Galilean t
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not become optically thin until muc
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gas. It is either a constant volume
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equator. While geodetic latitude is
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the Earth. These interactions can g
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that extend from the sun to Earth a
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Pleistocene, about 2 million years
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the difference between the number o
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temperature is ∼ 10 K everything
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of Einstein’s general relativity
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picture in the weak-field limit in
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Time (UT1) on January 1, 1972. In t
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tra would show a dip at frequencies
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Hα condensation Hα condensation T
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harmonic model harmonic model The r
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Helios mission mination shock, and
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helium burning strated to be 4 He.
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HI region sure and temperature char
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horse latitudes from the loci of th
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Hubble radius Press 1982; Mon. Not.
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hydraulic-fracturing method hydraul
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hydromagnetic wave netized cosmic p
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hysteresis (θ), tension head (ψ),
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igneous rocks rocks are classified
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inclination inclination In geophysi
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inferior conjunction the figure) in
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initial condition time. Different r
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interconnection field interconnecti
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interplanetary dust particles (IDPs
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intertropical convergence zone (ITC
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ionosonde Each sporadic E layer can
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ionospheric regions subsequently re
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iron Kα line iron Kα line A spect
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isotope delta value (δ) element is
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Jerlov water type one because of gr
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Julian year Gregorian Date (midnigh
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K Kaiser-Stebbins effect (1984) Ani
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ing the gravitational field outside
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observed. However, these correction
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L lagoon A shallow, sheltered bay t
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Langacker-Pi mechanism In cosmology
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the last scattering surface. See qu
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Law-of-the-Wall Scaling Relations L
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light bridge Observed in white ligh
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linear wave theory Also referred to
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and downcoast areas. Sediment is tr
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longshore sediment transport Transp
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deforming forces. If a potential Vn
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defined at moderate (3 Å) resoluti
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Prospector then dropped to an altit
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M M51 Object 51 in the Messier list
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or more km where the magma resides
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oring magnetic field lines to repul
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field, the force due to the magneti
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mencement (SC) in the geomagnetic f
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and the constant κ is equal to 1 m
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California, Berkeley Space Sciences
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For instance, in a model higher der
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interval, divided by that interval:
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median diameter, median grain size
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helium (for which the early tracers
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or in components, gαβ;γ = 0 , wh
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length range, normally associated w
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mirage Appearance of the image of s
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perature characteristics are found
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stratification are slight and turbu
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ock debris carried on or within a g
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N Nabarro-Herring creep When materi
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Nasmyth spectrum F(k/k η) 10 6 10
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Page 427 and 428: sky sky The apparent dome over the
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Page 431 and 432: solar eclipse solar eclipse The blo
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specific storage (Ss) volume, e.g.,
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spectroradiometer diation and limit
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spiral galaxy more evolved stars. (
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spring tion and produces fluctuatio
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stable equilibrium stable equilibri
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star spots observable Stark effect,
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stiff fluid stiff fluid A fluid in
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strain Plateau and the Rockies, and
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St. Venant Equations St. Venant Equ
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sudden stratospheric warming the io
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super cloud cluster called supercel
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supernovae, 1991bg pergiant stars.
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supernovae, fallback In practice, t
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supernovae, Type Ib/Ic in the peak
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supersonic Typical supernovae light
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symmetry posite walls of the cube,
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T tachyon A hypothetical subatomic
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Tethys system. Calypso orbits at th
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TT+LG·(JD−2443144.5)·86400 sec,
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thermal conductivity The property o
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turbulence is not two-dimensional,
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tidal period The time between two p
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a precession of 2.0 ◦ yr −1 , a
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ular to the direction of the force.
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to the atmosphere, via absorption o
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orbit around the sun, are stable po
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correlated to the number of old dis
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only the fastest (speeds exceeding
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unified soil classification schemes
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V V471 Tauri stars Binary systems i
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variable star A star that changes i
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A drop with increasing distance, as
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in declination. Virgo (Latin for vi
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Located near Socorro, NM at 34 ◦
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volume scattering function (VSF) Th
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wash load the magnetopause are disp
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Weber- Davis Model physical instabi
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Wheeler- DeWitt equation The Weyl t
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Wien distribution law Wien distribu
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winter anomaly Scale Wind Condition
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X xenoliths Rocks carried to the su
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Y yardangs Streamlined elongated hi
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Z Zeeman effect The splitting of sp
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