Geophysical fluid dynamics

Summary

Geophysical fluid dynamics is the part of fluid dynamics that studies large-scale flows of the atmosphere, the oceans and other planetary fluids. Two effects dominate these flows: the rotation of the planet, through the Coriolis force, and stable density stratification, through buoyancy. Typical results are geostrophic balance, Rossby waves, internal waves and Ekman layers. It supplies the theory behind weather prediction and climate models.