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35 38 terms
Agroclimatology
A field in the interdisciplinary science of agrometeorology, in which principles of climatology are applied to agricultural production systems. Its origins relate to climate’s foremost role in plant and animal production.
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The study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a long period of time. However, when we say we expect climatology in terms of forecasts, these are not simply average conditions, but include the range of variability in rainfall quantity, spatial distribution, and temporal distribution that are historically possible for a region.
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Coefficient of variation (CV)
The standard deviation divided by the mean. This measure puts the variability in a context of the average rainfall. Areas with large variability relative to the mean represent locations especially vulnerable to seasonal variation. Coefficient of variation is a useful statistic for comparing the degree of variation from one data series, or one location, to another, even if the means differ.
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Corn
Also, Maize
Maize is the plant and corn is the kernel or grain, but corn can refer to kernels of different plants, not just maize. In some countries, including North America, maize and corn are used interchangeably, but this is not the case in most parts of the world. In general, we use maize when referring to the crop.
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A tool used to assess conditions in designated areas to help gauge the impact on food security and strengthen FEWS NET assumptions about the upcoming seasons.
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Dekad
Ten-day period, usually referring to a period of rainfall, starting on the first day of the month. Every month is composed of exactly three dekads. The last dekad of the month comprises days 21 through the end of the month, and can contain 8 to 11 days.
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Dipole
Two opposing patterns in space.
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A thermally driven wind arising from differential heating between a land mass and the adjacent ocean that reverses its direction seasonally.
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Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
A vegetation index commonly used as an indicator of drought. NDVI is a measure of vegetation greenness calculated by a normalized ratio between red and near infrared (NIR) radiation. Healthy, photosynthetic vegetation reflect NIR radiation and absorb red light in the visible spectrum.
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Oscillation
In meteorology, oscillation is a shift in the position of high and low pressure systems, usually in the same place. These are often described using an index (often a single number that represents the distribution of temperature and pressure over a wide area, usually over the oceans, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, or Pacific Decadal Oscillation).
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