Talk:nadir

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In which language does this mean 'the lowest point'? Polyglot 07:50, 13 Sep 2004 (UTC)

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nadir

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"The axis of a projected conical shadow." Redundant sense, correct? DAVilla 05:59, 16 January 2011 (UTC)Reply

Not AFAICT. Redundant to which?​—msh210 (talk) 06:00, 16 January 2011 (UTC)Reply
Oh, ray ("axis") versus point (first def). Duh. DAVilla 07:00, 16 January 2011 (UTC)Reply

RFD withdrawn, striking. Mglovesfun (talk) 13:40, 20 February 2011 (UTC)Reply

Content from Wikipedia

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Copied from Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nadir&oldid=1239672082 . See that page history for attribution.


Diagram showing the relationship between the zenith, the nadir, and different types of horizon. Note that the zenith is opposite the nadir.

The nadirTemplate:efnTemplate:efn is the direction pointing directly below a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at a specified location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface.

The direction opposite of the nadir is the zenith.

Definitions

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This diagram depicts a satellite observing backscattered sunlight in the nadir viewing geometry.

Space science

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Since the concept of being below is itself somewhat vague, scientists define the nadir in more rigorous terms. Specifically, in astronomy, geophysics and related sciences (e.g., meteorology), the nadir at a given point is the local vertical direction pointing in the direction of the force of gravity at that location.

The term can also be used to represent the lowest point that a celestial object reaches along its apparent daily path around a given point of observation (i.e. the object's lower culmination). This can be used to describe the position of the Sun, but it is only technically accurate for one latitude at a time and only possible at the low latitudes. The Sun is said to be at the nadir at a location when it is at the zenith at the location's antipode and is 90° below the horizon.

Nadir also refers to the downward-facing viewing geometry of an orbiting satellite,[1] such as is employed during remote sensing of the atmosphere, as well as when an astronaut faces the Earth while performing a spacewalk. A nadir image is a satellite image or aerial photo of the Earth taken vertically. A satellite ground track represents its orbit projected to nadir on to Earth's surface.

Medicine

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Generally in medicine, nadir is used to indicate the progression to the lowest point of a clinical symptom (e.g. fever patterns) or a laboratory count. In oncology, the term nadir is used to represent the lowest level of a blood cell count while a patient is undergoing chemotherapy.[2] A diagnosis of neutropenic nadir after chemotherapy typically lasts 7–10 days.[3]

Figurative usage

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The word is also used figuratively to mean a low point, such as with a person's spirits,[4] the quality of an activity or profession,[5] or the nadir of American race relations.[6]

Template:reftalk Daask (talk) 20:43, 15 August 2024 (UTC)Reply

  1. ^ Template:cite web
  2. ^ Template:cite web
  3. ^ Le, Tao, Bhushan, Vikas, Skapik, Julia (2007) First Aid For The USMLE Step 2 CK[1], 6th edition, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical, →ISBN, page 479
  4. ^ Template:cite EB1911
  5. ^ Template:cite news
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:parameters at line 828: Parameter "orig-year" is not used by this template.