Hypsometry

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Hypsometry (from Greek ὕψος, hupsos, "height"[1] and μέτρον, metron, "measure"[2]) is the measurement of land elevation relative to sea level.[3] Bathymetry is the underwater equivalent. A hypsometer is an instrument used in hypsometry, which estimates the elevation by boiling water – water boils at different temperatures depending on the air pressure, and thus altitude.

On Earth, the elevations can take on either positive and negative (underwater) values, and are bimodal due to the contrast between the continents and oceans. On other planets within this solar system, elevations are typically unimodal, owing to the lack of oceans on those bodies.

See also

References

  1. ↑ ὕψος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  2. ↑ μέτρον, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  3. ↑ "MSN Encarta". Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. 
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