🟫Abyssal Plain

A flat deep-sea floor region.

🟢Algal Bloom

A rapid increase in algae population in water, often harmful.

🐟Aquaculture

The farming of aquatic organisms for food.

🎈Argo Float

An autonomous float profiling ocean temperature and salinity.

💍Atoll

A ring-shaped coral reef surrounding a lagoon.

🤖Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

An unmanned underwater vehicle operating independently.

📐Bathymetry

The measurement of ocean depth and seafloor topography.

🦀Benthos

Organisms living on or near the seafloor.

🦋Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

✨Bioluminescence

The production of light by living organisms.

🖤Black Smoker

A hydrothermal vent emitting dark mineral-rich fluid.

💙Blue Carbon

Carbon captured and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems.

🐢Bycatch

Non-target marine species accidentally caught during fishing.

♻️Carbon Cycle

The biogeochemical cycle by which carbon moves through Earth's systems.

🌊Carbon Sink

A natural reservoir that absorbs more carbon than it releases.

⚗️Chemical Oceanography

The study of the chemical composition of seawater.

⚗️Chemosynthesis

The production of organic matter using chemical energy instead of sunlight.

⚡Conductivity

A measure of seawater's ability to conduct electricity, indicating salinity.

🏞️Continental Shelf

The shallow submerged edge of a continent.

📉Continental Slope

The steep descent from the continental shelf to the deep ocean.

🪸Coral

A marine invertebrate that builds reefs by secreting calcium carbonate.

🤍Coral Bleaching

The loss of color in corals due to stress and algae expulsion.

🪸Coral Reef

A diverse underwater ecosystem built by calcium-secreting corals.

🌀Coriolis Effect

The deflection of moving objects due to Earth's rotation.

📊CTD

An instrument measuring conductivity, temperature, and depth.

☠️Dead Zone

An area of water with oxygen too low to support life.

⬇️Deep Current

An ocean current driven by differences in water density.

⚖️Density

The mass per unit volume of seawater, affecting circulation.

📏Depth

The vertical distance from the ocean surface to the seafloor.

⬇️Downwelling

The sinking of surface water to deeper ocean layers.