DICTIONARY OF GEOPHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, and ASTRONOMY

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idge push ridge push See ridge slide. ridge slide (ridge push) A mid-ocean ridge is elevated compared to the surrounding ocean basin. The oceanic plate is driven to move away from the ridge by the component of gravitational force parallel to the plate in the down slope direction. This plate driving force is called ridge slide or ridge push. See seafloor spreading. Riemann-Christoffel tensor See Riemann tensor. Riemann tensor In geometry, the curvature tensor of an affine space. In terms of a 1-form basis {ωa} and its second covariant derivatives, the Riemann tensor Rabc d is defined as ∇a∇bωc −∇b∇aωc =−Rabc d ωd. In a coordinate basis, the componentsR a bcd may be written as R a bcd =Ɣa bd,c −Ɣa bc,d +Ɣa fc Ɣf bd −Ɣa fd Ɣf cb where Ɣ a bc is the connection, and the “,” de- notes a partial derivative. Note that when Ɣ a bc is symmetric (no torsion) Rabcd =−Rabdc and Rabcd =Rcdab. See affine connection, covariant derivative, sign convention. Rigel (β Orionis), Spectral type B, RA 05 h 14 m 32 s .3, dec −08 ◦ 12 ′ 06 ′′ . The brightest star in the constellation Orion and the seventh brightest star in the sky (apparent magnitude +0.12). Rigel is a blue (very hot) supergiant (absolute magnitude -8.1), about 100 times bigger in diameter than the sun. It is approximately 430 pc distant. right ascension An angle coordinate on the celestial sphere corresponding to longitude, and measured in hours thus dividing the circle of 360 ◦ into 24 hours, measured eastward from the location of the vernal equinox (also called the first point of Aries). At the time of the vernal equinox the right ascension of the sun is 0 hours. The direction to the sun at this time is then 0 h RA, 0 ◦ declination, and this direction on the celestial sphere is referred to as the Vernal Equinox. © 2001 by CRC Press LLC 400 right-hand coordinate system One in which ˆz=ˆx×ˆy in which {ˆx,ˆy,ˆz} are the unit vectors in the coordinate directions. right-hand rule A prescription to determine the direction in a right-hand coordinate system, of a vector cross product A × B: right-hand fingers in the direction of A, curl fingers towards B; thumb points in the direction of product. right-lateral strike-slip fault In geophysics, a strike-slip fault such that an observer on one side of the fault sees the other side moving to the right. The San Andreas fault in California is a right-lateral strike-slip fault. rigidity See shear modulus. rigid lid approximation A boundary condition applied when the surface displacements are small compared with interface displacements. In the continuity equation of flow motion, one neglects the time change in the surface displacements, but retains the time change in the interface displacements. rille Channel formed by flowing lava. Rilles are old lava tubes where the roof has collapsed along part or all of the channel length. Lava tubes (hence rilles) are formed by very low viscosity lavas. On the moon, rilles have widths from a few tens of meters to a few kilometers and lengths of hundreds of kilometers. Longer channels are seen on Venus, although the composition of the flows that created these channels is still debated. Rilles typically are widest at the upstream end and narrow as they progress downstream. Rilles show no delta-like deposits at their termini — they typically just fade away into a lava plain. Rindler observer A uniformly accelerated observer in flat Minkowski spacetime. The observer’s 4-dimensional trajectory is given by x = ca −1 e aξ cosh(aτ/c) t = c 2 a −1 e aξ sinh(aτ/c) , with y,z, constant. Here x,y,z are Cartesian coordinates (x along the direction of motion), t is the time of an inertial observer, τ is the observer’s proper time, ξ is a parameter related to
the position of the turning point, and c is the speed of light. The constant proper acceleration is given byae −aξ . Because of the form of the trajectory, which approaches the light cones x±t for t→±∞, the Rindler observer is prevented from getting signals from events where x
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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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esponding chromospheric network def
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(NASA) initiative to test and prove
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node A point of zero displacement.
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modes. Normal modes are excited by
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special relativity, such a vector h
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oblique-slip fault low elevation an
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One-form, 1-form attached to the fl
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orbital elements higher than the OW
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Page 389 and 390: R R 136 See 30 Doradus. Raadu-Kuper
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Page 427 and 428: sky sky The apparent dome over the
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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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