The time (or equivalent distance) displacement of some characteristic of a wave relative to the same characteristic of a reference wave; that is, the difference in phase between the two waves. Compare lag
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IOC technical series 37, Tsunami Glossary (A glossary of terms and acronyms used in the tsunami literature - English), , United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO, Paris, France 1991. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0008/000885/08853 8eb.pdf, (ND/ Tsunami Sci - Brit) {590}