CONTINENTAL TERRACE . The zone around the continents, 

 extending from low water line to the base of the 

 CONTINENTAL SLOPE. (27) 



liant sparkling light. Greatest concentrations 

 occur in surface layers of temperate and subarctic 

 waters. (15) 



CONTINUOUS SPECTRUM . A continuous spectrum is the 

 spectrum of a wave the components of which are con- 

 tinuously distributed over a frequency region. (2) 



CONTOUR. 1. A line connecting the points, on a 

 land or submarine surface, that have the same 

 elevation. 



2. In topographic or hydrographic work, 

 a line connecting all points of equal elevation 

 above or below a datum plane. (11) 



CONTOUR LIN E. See CONTOUR. 



CONTOURING TEMPERATURE RECORDER . This device takes 

 data from temperature sensors (thermistors) located 

 in a chain towed behind a ship and plots on a con- 

 tinuous record the vertical distribution of iso- 

 therms. The thermistors are electronically scanned 

 in sequence from the top to the bottom of the chain, 

 with time intervals that may be adjusted from 2 to 

 20 seconds. The scan rate may be adjusted to the 

 speed of the ship so that the information is taken 

 from a vertical column in the water. Isotherms 

 from -2 to 32°C can be contoured along with all 

 0.1 and 0.05°C isotherms between these limits. In 

 addition, selection can be made so only the 1 and 

 0.1°C or the 0.05°C are contoured. Depth also is 

 determined . 



A Diesel hydraulic powered hoist is needed to 

 transport 600 feet of chain. The chain itself con- 

 sists of links about 11 inches long having a U- 

 shaped cross section in the horizontal plane. (35) 



CONTRA SOLEM . Against the sun; hence cyclonic, 

 descriptive of motion turning to the left in the 

 Northern Hemisphere and the right in the Southern 

 Hemisphere; the reverse of cum sole. (These terms 

 were introduced by V. W. Ekman in 1923) (24) 



CONUS . Continental U. S. 



CONVECTION . The transmission of heat by the move- 

 ment of heated gas or fluid. If the diver were 

 sitting in a tank of water in a cold room, he would 

 lose heat to the surroundings not only by direct 

 conduction through the water but also by movement 

 of the water (called convection currents) produced 

 in the following way: The water next to his body, 

 warmed by conduction, would expand slightly and be 

 lighter than the surrounding water. It would there- 

 fore rise; but on reaching the top and walls of the 

 tank, it would lose heat to the room, contract, and 

 sink to be warmed again. (37) 



CONVECTION CELL . A vertical section of the isother- 

 mal mixed layer bounded by cool currents descending 

 from a convergence and warm currents rising to a 

 divergence. 



CONVERGENCE . (1) In refraction phenomena, the de- 

 creasing of the distance between orthogonals in the 

 direction of wave travel. This denotes an area of 

 increasing wave height and energy concentration; 

 (2) In wind set-up phenomena, the increase in set- 

 up observed over that which would occur in an 

 equivalent rectangular basin of uniform depth, 

 caused by changes in planform or depth; also the 

 decrease in basin width or depth causing such in- 

 crease in set-up. (11) 



CONVERGENT ZONE PATHS . The velocity structure of 

 permanent deep sound channels which produces focus- 

 ing regions at dis.tant intervals from a shallow 

 source. 



COPEPODS . 



Small crustaceans , usually less than 



1/4 inch in length, somewhat resembling tiny shrimp. 

 Many species are bio luminescent, producing a bril- 



CORAL. 1. Biology - marine coelenterates , soli- 

 tary or colonial which form a hard external cover- 

 ing of calcium compounds or other materials. The 

 corals which form large reefs are limited to warm, 

 shallow waters, while those forming solitary, 

 minute growths may be found in colder waters to 

 great depths . 



2. Geology - the concretion of coral 

 polyps, composed almost wholly of calcium carbonate, 

 forming reefs, and treelike and globular masses. 

 May also include calcareous algae and other or- 

 ganisms producing calcareous secretions, such as 

 bryozoans and hydrozoans. (15) 



CORAL HEIAD . A mass of coral, usually forming a 

 portion of a reef. Frequently, coral heads are 

 large enough to be dangerous to navigation. On 

 the basis of size, coral heads would be classed 

 as rock, but are shown as coral on bottom sediment 

 charts . 



CORAL REEF . A calcareous structure built by large 

 colonies of coral or shell-forming organisms. (27) 



CORDILLERA . An entire mountain province, including 

 all the subordinate ranges, interior PLATEAUS and 

 BASINS. (27) 



CORDONAZO . A tropical cyclone originating in the 

 North Pacific Ocean, south and southwestward of 

 Central America and Mexico. Sometimes called 

 hurricane. (17) 



CORE . That area within a layer of water where 

 parameters such as temperature, salinity, velocity, 

 etc., reach extreme values. (13) 



CORE CATCHER . A mechanical device located near the 

 bottom of a sediment corer barrel to prevent the 

 loss of the sample during retrieval. 



CORE OF THE EARTH . The earth is believed to con- 

 sist of the following: 



Inner Core, - Solid, - 860 mile radius. 



Outer Core, - Liquid,- 1300 miles thick. 



Mantle, - Solid, - 1800 miles thick. 



Crust, - Solid, - 622 miles thick. 

 (27) 



CORING DEVICES . Coring devices are essentially 

 steel tubes that are driven into the ocean floor 

 bottom for the purpose of obtaining and investigat- 

 ing a sediment sample or core from a particular 

 topography. 



PHLEGER, KULLENBERG, EWING, MOORE, EMERY 

 DIETZ are some of the coring devices used for this 

 purpose. (35) 



CORIOLIS ACCELERATION . An acceleration of a parcel 

 moving in a (moving) relative coordinate system. 

 The total acceleration of the parcel, as measured 

 in an inertial coordinate system, may be expressed 

 as the sum of the acceleration within the relative 

 system, the acceleration of the relative system 

 itself, and the coriolis acceleration. In the case 

 of the earth, moving with angular velocity n, a 

 parcel moving relative to the earth with velocity 

 V has the coriolis acceleration 2 nx V. If 

 Newton's laws are to be applied in the relative 

 system, the coriolis acceleration and the accelera- 

 tion of the relative system must be treated as 

 forces . (24) 



CORIOLIS (FERREL'S LAW) . An apparent force acting 

 on a body in motion, due to rotation of the earth, 

 causing deflection to the right in the northern 

 hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemi- 

 sphere. It affects air (wind), water (current), 

 etc., and introduces an error in bubble sextant 



27 



