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GEOB 305 > Definitions > Flashcards

Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Isotopes

A

Have the same number of protons in nucleus, but different number of neutrons.

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2
Q

Cohesion

A

Liquid-liquid molecular attraction

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3
Q

Adhesion

A

Liquid-solid molecular attraction

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4
Q

Vapour Density

A

Mass of water in a unit volume of air.

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5
Q

Vapour Pressure

A

Partial pressure exerted by water vapour.

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6
Q

Streamflow

A

Rate at which water leaves a catchment via the stream channel, discharge.

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7
Q

Runoff

A

Total quantity of water leaving a catchment in a specific time interval; usually expressed as average depth of water over catchment are, water yield.

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8
Q

Stage

A

Elevation of water surface above some reference, locally or absolute(datum).

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9
Q

Daily Flow

A

Streamflow average over a one day interval.

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10
Q

Annual Flow

A

Maximum streamflow in a given year.

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11
Q

Hydrograph

A

Plot of water level or discharge against time.

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12
Q

Systematic error

A

Acts consistently in one direction; either over- or underestimated; accumulate through time.

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13
Q

Random error

A

Acts unpredictably in either direction; tend to cancel out over time.

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14
Q

Spurious Change

A

Changes in instruments used for measuring, changes to site characteristics, change in station location.

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15
Q

Double mass curve

A

Plots mass curves for two locations to compute the slope before and after some change in measurement procedure.

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16
Q

Exceedence Probability

A

The probability that a specific rainfall intensity or depth would be equalled or exceeded in a given year.

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17
Q

Return Period

A

Mean length of time between occurrences of that event.

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18
Q

Gross rainfall

A

Above-canopy rainfall (usually measured in the open)

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19
Q

Throughfall

A

Rainfall that reached the ground either as canopy drip or by falling directly through gaps (direct through fall)

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20
Q

Stemflow

A

Water that reaches the ground by running down trunks and stems.

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21
Q

Interception loss

A

Water that evaporates (or sublimates) form the canopy, stems of trees, understory and leaf littler on the soil surface.

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22
Q

Net Rainfall

A

Throughfall + rainfall

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23
Q

Porosity

A

Volume of fluid/ Volume total

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24
Q

Volumetric water content

A

Volume water/Volume total

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25
Q

Total Head

A

Pressure head + gravitational head

26
Q

Pressure head

A

Results from the forces exerted by adjacent water molecules, including hydrostatic pressure and capillary forces.

27
Q

Gravitational head

A

Equal to the work done in raising a mass of water by a vertical distance.

28
Q

Water Table

A

Surface within a soil along which pressure head = 0 (or, equivalently, water pressure = ambient atmospheric pressure)

29
Q

Hydrostatic

A

Wate not moving, h does not vary with location.

30
Q

Vadose Zone

A

Unsaturated zone, between land surface and zone of saturation

31
Q

Phreatic Zone

A

Saturated zone, below the water table

32
Q

Capillary Fringe

A

Subsurface layer where groundwater seeps up from a water table by capillary action to fill pores.

33
Q

Field Capacity

A

The water content at which the rate of drainage by gravity exhibits a marked decrease. Nominally defined as the water content corresponding to pressure head = -33m

34
Q

Drainable Porosity

A

The difference between the total porosity and field capacity. Analogous to “specific yield” in hydrogeology.

35
Q

Homogeneity

A

Properties do not vary in space (K(x), K(y), K(z))

36
Q

Isotropy

A

Hydraulic conductivity does not vary with the direction flow (K(x)=K(y)=K(z))

37
Q

Infiltration-excess overland flow

A

Water enters a soil system faster then the soil can absorb it.

38
Q

Saturation-excess overland flow

A

Return flow + direct precipitation on saturated source ares. Soil becomes saturated, and any additional precipitation or irrigation cause runoff.

39
Q

Throughflow

A

Downslope flow in a saturated layer within soil.

40
Q

Infiltration rate

A

The rate at which water enters a soil at the surface.

41
Q

Infiltration capacity/infiltrability

A

The maximum rate at which water can enter a soil.

42
Q

Hydrophobicity

A

Organic matter volatiles, diffuses downwards to cooler soil layers and condenses, coating mineral soil particles and rendering them water repellant.

43
Q

Honeycomb Frost

A

Low soil moisture content at time of freezing, relatively permeable.

44
Q

Concrete Frost

A

High soil moisture content at time of freezing, limited permeability and low infiltration capacity

45
Q

Zero Flux Plane

A

Location where upwards and downwards groundwater flow meet.

46
Q

Aquifer

A

Saturated geological unit that is sufficiently permeable that water flows through it faster than through adjacent, less permeable geological units.

47
Q

Aquiclude

A

Saturated geological unit that has sufficiently low permeability that water flow is restricted, relative to adjacent, more permeable, geological units

48
Q

Unconfined Aquifer

A

Aquifer that is not confined above by an aquiclude; the water table may rise and fall in response to changes in groundwater storage.

49
Q

Confined Aquifer

A

Aquifer that is confined above by an aquiclude.

50
Q

Specific Yield

A

Ratio volume of water that a saturated soil will yield by gravity to the volume of the body itself.

51
Q

Specific Retention

A

Ration of the volume of water that a given body of soil will hold against the pull of gravity to the volume of the body itself.

52
Q

E

A

Evapotranspiration. Net loss of water vapour form some specified portion of the earth’s surface. Controlling factors: availability of water and energy, transport of vapour water form surface.

53
Q

Potential Evapotranspiration

A

Rate at which evapotranspiration would occur under a given set of meteorological conditions if availability of water is not limiting, and thus is a function of available energy and transport for surface, sometimes referred to as “atmospheric demand”

54
Q

Firn

A

Snow on a glacier that has survived at least one summer (density around 500 km/m3)

55
Q

Accumulation

A

Processes that add mass to a glacier (snowfall, avalanches, freezing of rain or meltwater)

56
Q

Ablation

A

Processes that remove mass form a glacier (melting, wind scouring, sublimation, evaporation, clawing of ice bergs)

57
Q

Summer balance (b(s))

A

Net difference between accumulation and ablation form approx. May-October (northern hemisphere)

58
Q

Winter balance (b(w))

A

Net difference between accumulation and ablation from approx. November-May (northern hemisphere)

59
Q

Net balance

A

Net difference between accumulation and ablation during an accumulation season and the following ablation season. bw + bs

60
Q

Accumulation Zone

A

Areas on glacier where the winter balance is greater than the summer balance or the net balance is above zero.

61
Q

Ablation Zone

A

Areas on glacier where the summer balance is greater than the winter balance or the net balance is less than zero.

62
Q

Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA)

A

Line along which the winter and summer balances are equal or net balance is zero. Altitude of end-of-summer snowline (for temperate glaciers)

GEOB 305 (2 decks)

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