Page 12 - Wind Waves and Weather

Petroleum Extension-The University of Texas at Austin
Glossary

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abeam adv: to or at the side of a ship, vessel, or offshore drilling rig and espe- A
cially at right angles to the ship, vessel, or rig’s length.
ABS abbr: American Bureau of Shipping.

absorb v: 1. to take in and make part of an existing whole. 2. to soak up gradu-
ally or take in gradually something such as heat, liquid, chemicals, nutrients,
or other substances.
absorption n: in meteorology, the process in which shortwave radiation is
retained by regions of the earth.
Ac abbr: altocumulus.

advection fog n: a fog caused by the movement of warm, moist air over a surface
with a temperature less than the dew point of the air. The cold surface cools
the warm air to the dew-point temperature and fog occurs. Also called sea fog.

air mass n: a body of air that remains for an extended period of time over a
large land or sea area with uniform heating and cooling properties. The air
mass will acquire characteristics (such as temperature and moisture content)
of the underlying region.
air mass source region n: an area over which an air mass rests and develops
temperature and moisture characteristics typical of that location.
altocumulus (Ac) n: a white or gray mid-level cloud that appears as closely
arranged rolls. This type of cloud is composed of either ice crystals or water
droplets.
altostratus n: a bluish or grayish layer of uniform mid-level clouds that cover
large portions of the sky. This type of cloud is composed of either ice crystals
or water droplets.
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) n: U.S. organization that sets standards
and specifications for ships and ship equipment manufactured in the United
States. The organization also makes inspections during offshore rig construction
and conducts periodic surveys to ensure that requirements for classification
are maintained. Its official publications are Records of the American Bureau of
Shipping and ABS Activity Report. Address: ABS Plaza; 16855 Northchase Dr.;
Houston, TX 77060; (281) 877-5800; www.eagle.org.
anemometer n: an instrument for measuring wind speed in the atmosphere.
The most common types are cup, vane, and hot-wire anemometers.
aneroid barometer n: a device for measuring atmospheric pressure (a barom-
eter) that consists of a flexible, spring-filled metal cell from which air has been
removed and a mechanism that registers the pressure. See barograph.

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