Automated Weather Observing Station. A self-contained weather station designed to make aviation weather observations without operator involvement.

A type of climatic diagram whose coordinates are some form of temperature vs. a form of humidity or precipitation.

The gingerbread woodwork on the stern of old sailing ships.

Navigational Electronic Chart System Association

Global Navigational Satellite System

A process for carrying out a reaction in which the reactants are fed in discrete and successive charges.

A person appointed by a company to perform an audit. In the UK auditors are Chartered.

Intermediate Fuel Oil

Same as balloon cover.

Free Alongside Ship Free Alongside Ship means that the seller delivers when the goods are placed alongside the vessel at the named port of shipment. This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss of or damage to the goods from that mom ...

A linear imperfection in a crystalline array of atoms. Two basic types are recognized: (1) an edge dislocation corresponds to the row of mismatched atoms along the edge formed by an extra, partial plane of atoms within the body of a crystal; (2) a screw d ...

Special Drawing Rights

A type of heating fuel derived by refining crude oil that has a boiling range at atmospheric pressure from 400 degrees to 550 degrees F.

Very High Frequency. (30-300 MHz) Designate also the radio communication apparatus using this frequency. It reaches only slightly beyond the horizon, except in favourable circumstances where transmission up to several hundred miles are possible.

A hygrometer using goldbeater's skin as the sensitive element. Variations of the physical dimensions of the skin caused by its hygroscopic character indicate relative humidity. (Note: Goldbeater's skin is the prepared outside membrane of the large intesti ...

To move cargo up line to a vessel leaving sooner than the one booked. (See "Roll.")

The property of a material by virtue of which deformation caused by stress disappears upon removal of the stress. A perfectly elastic body completely recovers its original shape and dimensions after release of stress.

The measurement around the body of a ship. The half girth is taken from the center line of the keel to the upper deck beam end.

Apparatus using the combined simultaneous action of a bimetallic thermometer and a hair hygrometer to move a needle in front of a divided scale. fts construction permits dew point variations to be indicated approximately.

Wind with a speed between 4 and 27 knots (4 and 31 mph); Beaufort scale numbers 2 through 6.