66
DYNAMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
just north and south of the equator. The scales for dynamic pressure and density are determined in chapter 11 and the governing equations are reduced
according to these scales.
(iii) Planetary circulation
The flow is on such a large scale that L/r 0 is not small. In this case, the
magnitude of the Coriolis acceleration is scaled by its maximum value 2Ω at
θ = π/2. The scales for dynamic pressure and density are determined in
chapter 13 and the governing equations are (unfortunately not much) reduced
according to these scales.
Through the dependence of the Coriolis acceleration on latitude, and the a priori
dominant balance between this acceleration and the pressure gradient, the mathematical description of ocean flows is divided naturally into three different problems. In the remaining chapters this logical division is followed with focus first
on stationary and then on time-dependent flows. Before we turn to the first type
of these flows (at mid-latitude) however, we first consider the concept of vorticity in more detail, since it will play an important role in the interpretation of the
dynamical processes causing a particular type of ocean flow.
DYNAMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
just north and south of the equator. The scales for dynamic pressure and density are determined in chapter 11 and the governing equations are reduced
according to these scales.
(iii) Planetary circulation
The flow is on such a large scale that L/r 0 is not small. In this case, the
magnitude of the Coriolis acceleration is scaled by its maximum value 2Ω at
θ = π/2. The scales for dynamic pressure and density are determined in
chapter 13 and the governing equations are (unfortunately not much) reduced
according to these scales.
Through the dependence of the Coriolis acceleration on latitude, and the a priori
dominant balance between this acceleration and the pressure gradient, the mathematical description of ocean flows is divided naturally into three different problems. In the remaining chapters this logical division is followed with focus first
on stationary and then on time-dependent flows. Before we turn to the first type
of these flows (at mid-latitude) however, we first consider the concept of vorticity in more detail, since it will play an important role in the interpretation of the
dynamical processes causing a particular type of ocean flow.