sea-air temperature difference correction

sea-air temperature difference correction

[′sē ′er ′tem·prə·chər ¦dif·rəns kə‚rek·shən] (navigation) A correction to sextant altitude readings made necessary by abnormal terrestrial refraction occurring when there is a nonstandard density lapse rate in the atmosphere due to a difference in the temperature of the water and of the air at the surface.