Glossary of TermsThis Glossary of Terms is added to our products because the information in the three Workgroup’s products contains terms that may have several meanings depending on the context or source. It is designed as a companion to the other products to help the user determine how a given term is used in our products. Therefore the definitions in the ASW glossary may not be a "standard" or universal term. |
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| (Sample list; download entire file here...) | |||
Term or Word |
Defintion, Part 1 |
Defintion, Part 2 |
Definition source |
| Acceptance Criteria | Criteria that address the adequacy of existing information proposed for inclusion into the project. | These criteria often apply to data drawn from existing sources ("secondary" data) When new data are collected, these criteria often apply measurement quality objectives for precision, bias and sensitivity. In the case of data drawn from existing sources ("secondary" data), the check is to see if adequate MQOs for precision, bias and sesnivity were used and if the MQO was met | EPA |
| Accuracy | The extent of agreement between an observed value (measurement result) and the accepted, or true, value of the characteristic being measured. Accuracy is determined by 30 or more comparisons of repeat measurements that include uncertainty from both precision and bias | Sources of inaccuracy include 1) systematic measurement error (bias) such as instrument drfit, instrument fouling, that tend to be unidirectional and 2) non-systematic or random measurement error (precision) and operator's behavior factors (e.g., not waiting for reading stabilization) that tend to produce a poor clustering of repeat measurements | CWT |
| Bias Check | a.k.a. verification Comparison of the reading, or output, of a field measurement device with a value believed the “true” value, without adjustments of the reading. | The “true” value may be represented by natural conditions (e.g., freezing point), by an accepted Standard or other known (Certified, Traceable) or prepared reference material. (e.g. NIST Thermometer or low DO solution) | CWT |
| Activity (Monitoring) | Type of data collection effort; can be observation, field measurement, or sample. | Equivalent to Field Activity in ESAR. | CWT |
| Ambient | Pertaining to the current environmental conditions, i.e., at the time of observation. | CWT | |
| Antifouling | A process of preventing or inhibiting the growth of biofouling organisms on submerged sensors and equipemnt | RE | |
| Background (concentrations) | Conditions that are believed to be representing the naturally-occurring concentrations of the analytes of interest. | RK | |
| Base flow | sustained flow of a stream in the absence of direct runoff. It includes natural and human-induced streamflows. Natural base flow is sustained largely by ground-water discharges | USGS3 | |
| Bedrock | the solid rock beneath the soil and superficial rock. | A general term for solid rock that lies beneath soil, loose sediments, or other unconsolidated material. | USGS3 |
| Bias | Click here to download the entire glossary file (1.2 MB PDF) | ||
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