KUROSHIO EXTENSION . The warm, eastward -flowing 

 ocean current that represents the direct con- 

 tinuation of the KUROSHIO (in latitude 35°N where 

 the Kuroshio leaves the coast of Japan), and flows 

 eastward in two branches . 



The major branch of the Kuroshio extension 

 turns due east; it retains its character as a well- 

 defined flow approximately as far as longitude 

 160°E (eventually becoming the NORTH PACIFIC CUR- 

 RENT). The minor branch, to the north, continues 

 toward the northeast as far as latitude 40°N where 

 it bends east (eventually becoming the ALEUTIAN 

 CURRENT). This northern branch becomes rapidly 

 mixed with the cold waters of the OYASHIO. (24) 



KUROSHIO (JAPAN CURRENT) . An ocean current flow- 

 ing northeastward from Formosa to Riukiu and then 



close to the coast of Japan as far as latitude 35°N; 

 part of the Kuroshio system. It is a density-dis- 

 tribution type current, and one of the swiftest of 

 all ocean currents. 



The Kuroshio is the northward flowing part of 

 the NORTH EQUATORIAL CURRENT (which divides east 

 of the Philippines). Beyond latitude 35°N, where 

 it leaves the coast of Japan, It branches to form 

 two sections of the KUROSHIO EXTENSION. 



The current is similar to the FLORIDA CURRENT 

 of the Atlantic Ocean. (24) 



KUROSHIO SYSTEM . A system of ocean currents in- 

 cluding the KUROSHIO, KUROSHIO EXTENSION, NORTH 

 PACIFIC CURRENT, and the lesser TSUSHIMA CURRENT 

 and KUROSHIO COUNTERCURRENT . (12) 



L 



LABRADOR CURRENT (ARCTIC CURRENT) . An ocean current 

 that flows southward from Baffin Bay, through the 

 Davis Strait, thence southeastward past Labrador 

 and Newfoundland. East of the Grand Banks, the 

 Labrador current meets the GULF STREAM, and the 

 two flow east separated by the COLD WALL. (24) 



LACROSSE . A military system of measuring distances. 

 Lacrosse uses pulsed light ranging equipment for 

 the accurate measurement of enemy targets, for 

 station keeping of ships, fire control, military 

 surveying under war time conditions and for landing 

 aircraft. (35) 



LAFOND'S TABLES . A set of tables and associated 

 information for correcting REVERSING THERMOMETERS 

 and computing DYNAMIC HEIGHT ANOMALIES, compiled 

 by E. C. Lafond and published by the U. S. Navy 

 Hydrographlc Office as H. 0. Pub. No. 617. (12) 



LAGAN . See JETTISON. 



LAGOON . A shallow body of water, as a pond or 

 lake which usually has a shallow, restricted outlet 

 to the sea. (11) 



LAGRANGIAN COORDINATES (MATERIAL COORDINATES) . 



1. A system of coordinates by which fluid 

 parcels are identified for all time by assigning 

 them coordinates which do not vary with time. 

 Examples of such coordinates are (a) the values of 

 any properties of the fluid conserved in the motion; 

 or (b) more generally, the positions in space of 

 the parcels at some arbitrarily selected moment. 

 Subsequent positions in space of the parcels are 

 then the dependent variables, functions of time 



and of the Lagrangian coordinates. 



Few observations in meteorology are Lagran- 

 gian: this would require successive observations 

 in time of the same air parcel. Exceptions are 

 the constant-pressure balloon observation, which 

 attempts to follow a parcel under the assumption 

 that its pressure is conserved, and certain small- 

 scale observations of diffusing particles. 



2. Same as generalized coordinates. (24) 



LAGRANGIAN WAVE . See SHALLOW-WATER WAVE. 



LAMBDA . Lambda is a low-ambiguity, accurate 

 position-fixing system used in Oceanography and 

 Hydrography. It is quite similar to two-range 

 DECCA, but with two additional features. The first 

 feature is Lane Identification while the second is 



the use of Phase Locked Oscillators at both ship 

 and ground stations. 



The technique of lane identification does not 

 require an extra ground station. Also, it only 

 requires one additional radio frequency which is 

 used only for a fraction of a second during lane 

 identification. When the lane identification but- 

 ton is pressed, the ships' transmitter shifts to a 

 new frequency. This operates relays at the ground 

 station which shift their frequency by about 14 kc . 

 On the ship is a phase-locked oscillator locked 

 to the ground station transmitter. Since it con- 

 tinues on the same frequency during lane identi- 

 fication, it differs from ground station trans- 

 mitter by 14 kc. Special phase meters read the 

 ship's position within lanes of 14 kc, each lane 

 being about six miles wide. (29) 



LAMINAR FLOW (LAMINARY FLOW. SHEET FLOW. STREAMLINE 

 FLOW) . A flow in which the fluid moves smoothly 

 in streamlines in parallel layers or sheets; a 

 nonturbulent flow. (24) 



LAMINARY FLOW . See LAMINAR FLOW. 



LAND BREEZE . A light wind blowing from the land 

 caused by unequal cooling of land and water masses, 

 (11) 



LANDFAST ICE . See FAST ICE. 



LAND FLOE . See FLOE. 



LAND ICE . All ice formed on land. It may be clas- 

 sified according to its source as continental, 

 island, highland, cirque, or snowdrift ice; accord- 

 ing to its movement as wall-sided or valley glacier; 

 according to its deposition as piedmont, confluent, 

 avalanche, or expanded-foot ice, or as ice tongue 

 afloat; or according to dissolution as iceberg, 

 bergy bit, or growler. Shelf ice is usually con- 

 sidered a form of land ice, but may be partly sea 

 ice. (17) 



LANDING. 1. A place where boats receive or dis- 

 charge passengers, freight, etc. 



2. Bringing of a vessel to a landing. 



3. Bringing of an aircraft to earth. 

 Called alighting in British and Canadian terminol- 

 ogy. (17) 



LANDLOCKED . An area of water enclosed, or nearly 

 enclosed, by land, as a bay, a harbor, etc., (thus, 

 protected from the sea) . (11) 



LAND-SEA BREEZE . The combination of a land breeze 

 and a sea breeze as a diurnal phenomenon. (11) 



LAND SKY . Dark streaks, patches, or a grayness on 

 the underside of extensive cloud areas caused by 

 the absence of reflected light from the bare ground. 

 Land sky is not as dark as WATER SKY. (25) 



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