The swell with the greatest height from trough to crest.
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LABRADOR CURRENT EXTENSION
A name sometimes given to the nontidal current flowing southwestward along the northeast coast of the United States. This coastal current originates from part of the Labrador Current flowing clockwise around the southeastern tip of Newfoundland. Its speeds are fairly constant throughout the year and average about 0.6 knot. The greatest seasonal fluctuation appears to be in the width of the current. The current is widest during winter between Newfoundland and Cape Cod. Southwest of Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras the current shows very little seasonal change. The current narrows considerably during summer and flows closest to shore in the vicinity of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia and between Cape Cod and Long Island in July and August. The current in some places encroaches on tidal regions.
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AURORA
A luminous phenomenon due to electrical discharges in the atmosphere, probably confined to the thin air high above the surface of the earth It is most commonly seen in high latitudes where it is most frequent during periods of greatest sunspot activity. If it occurs in the Northern Hemisphere, it is called aurora borealis or northern lights; and if in the Southern, aurora Australis.
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DOG DAYS
The period of greatest heat in the summer
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METEOROLOGICAL VISIBILITY
The greatest distance at which a black object of suitable dimensions can be seen and recognized by day against the horizon sky, or, in the case of night observations, could be seen and recognized if the general illumination were raised to the normal daylight level. It has been established that the object may be seen and recognized if the contrast threshold is 0.05 or higher. The term may express the visibility in a single direction or the prevailing visibility in all directions.
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E-LAYER
From the standpoint of its effect upon radio wave propagation, the lowest useful layer of the Kennelly-Heaviside radiation region. Its average height is about 70 miles, and its density is greatest about local apparent noon. For practical purposes, the layer disappears during the hours of darkness.
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ELONGATION
The angular distance of a body of the solar system from the sun; the angle at the earth between lines to the sun and another celestial body of the solar system. The greatest elongation is the maximum angular distance of an inferior planet from the sun before it starts back toward conjunction. The direction of the body east or west of the sun is usually specified, as greatest elongation east (or west).
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EBB CURRENT
The movement of a tidal current away from shore or down a tidal river or estuary. In the mixed type of reversing tidal current, the terms greater ebb and lesser ebb are applied respectively to the ebb tidal currents of greater and lesser speed of each day. The terms maximum ebb and minimum ebb are applied to the maximum and minimum speeds of a current running continuously. The expression maximum ebb is also applicable to any ebb current at the time of greatest speed
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FLOODABLE LENGTH
The length of ship which may be flooded without sinking below her safety or margin line. The floodable length of a vessel varies from point to point throughout her length and is usually greatest amidships
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LOADED DISPLACEMENT
The displacement of a ship when floating at her greatest allowable draft
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FLOOD CURRENT
The movement of a tidal current toward the shore or up a tidal river or estuary. In the mixed type of reversing current, the terms greater flood and lesser flood are applied respectively to the flood currents of greater and lesser speed of each day. The terms maximum flood and minimum flood are applied to the maximum and minimum speeds of a flood current, the speed of which alternately increases and decreases without coming to a slack or reversing. The expression maximum flood is also applicable to any flood current at the time of greatest velocity. The opposite is EBB CURRENT.
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