Oceanography

Oceanography

The scientific studies of the ocean.

Contributors in Oceanography

Oceanography

A dimensionless number comparing the buoyancy with Coriolis forces. Explicitly, the Burger number is Bu = N 2 D 2 /(f 2 L 2 ) in which N is the buoyancy frequency, f is the Coriolis parameter, and ...

Richardson number

Earth science; Oceanography

A dimensionless number relating the ratio of buoyancy to inertial forces. In a stratified fluid with characteristic squared buoyancy frequency J,the bulk Richardson number is Ri = J/(U/L)^2 in which ...

Froude number

Earth science; Oceanography

A dimensionless number relating the ratio of inertial to buoyancy forces applicable, in particular, to homogeneous shallow water flow, or two layer flow. Explicitly, in the shallow water ...

Rossby number

Earth science; Oceanography

A dimensionless number relating the ratio of inertial to Coriolis forces. Explicitly, the Rossby number is Ro=U/(fL) in which U and L are characteristic velocity and horizontal length scales, ...

Rossby wave

Earth science; Oceanography

A large scale, westward propagating wave that moves due to isentropic gradients of potential vorticity. Rossby waves are also called planetary waves. In particular, in the shallow water ...

Southern Oscillation

Earth science; Oceanography

A large-scale atmospheric and hydrospheric fluctuation centered in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It exhibits a nearly annual pressure anomaly, alternatively high over the Indian Ocean and high over ...

Antarctic High

Earth science; Oceanography

A region of high pressure that occupies central Antarctic throughout the year. This pressure system is responsible for very cold temperatures and extremely low humidity.