Rossby number

From Glossary of Meteorology

A dimensionless number relating the ratio of inertial to Coriolis forces for a given flow of a rotating fluid.
Explicitly, the Rossby number is

ams2001glos-Re44

where U is the velocity scale, f is the Coriolis parameter, and L is the horizontal length scale. This number plays a fundamental role in defining the regime of large-scale geophysical fluid dynamics. Large-scale flows are defined as those that are significantly influenced by the earth's rotation and with sufficiently large L for Ro to be order one or less (e.g., flows with sufficiently small Rossby number are in geostrophic balance).


número de Rossby[edit | edit source]

Es un número adimensional que relaciona la tasa de las fuerzas inerciales a las de Coriolis para un flujo dado de un fluido rotativo.

Explícitamente, el número de Rossby es

ams2001glos-Re44

donde U es la escala de velocidad, f es el parámetro de Coriolis, y L es la escala de longitud horizontal. Este número desempeña un papel fundamental en la definición del régimen de la dinámica de fluidos geofísicos a gran escala. Los flujos a gran escala se definen como aquellos que están significativamente influenciados por la rotación de la Tierra y con L suficientemente grande para que Ro sea de orden uno o menos (por ejemplo, los flujos con número de Rossby suficientemente pequeño están en equilibrio geostrófico).

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