Za-Zz

 

Zanclean

The first of two ages in the Pliocene epoch (coincidental with the Early Pliocene), lasting from 5.3 to 3.4 Ma. It is preceded by the Messinian age of the Miocene epoch and followed by the Piacenzian age.

 

zenith angle

The angle between the local normal to the Earth's surface and a line between a point on the Earth's surface and the sun.

 

zephyr

A westerly breeze with pleasant warm weather supposed to prevail at the summer solstice.

 

zonal mean wind

The distribution of the zonal mean of the eastward component of the wind through latitude and height. This is westerly through most of the troposphere, and peaks at speeds exceeding 30 m/s in the subtropical jet stream. Near the surface the zonal mean winds are westerly at most latitudes between 30 and 70 degrees, with easterly winds prevailing a latitudes less than 30 degrees. See Hartmann (1994).

 

zonda

A hot, sultry wind that brings tropical air from the north in Argentina and Uruguay. It is analogous to the Australian brickfielder and usually precedes the pampero. The locals tend to enjoy this sort of thing.

 

zone fossil

In biostratigraphy, a type of fossil.

 

ZUDIS

Acronym for the Zentrales UmweltDaten Informations System, a meta-database tool for making available information about the significant environmentally related activities in Germany to scientists, decision makers, and others. See the ZUDIS Web site.

 

Zuricho-Montpellier school

See Braun-Blanquet school.