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The Coriolis effect results in a deflection of fluid flows (to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere). Because the distance around the Earth decreases as one moves away from the equator, and because the Earth rotates in a counter clockwise direction as seen from the north pole, air and water masses are deflected to the east as they move from the equator to the poles, and to the west as they move from the poles to the equator. This has profound effects on the flow of the oceans. In particular it means the flow goes around high and low pressure systems, permitting them to persist for long periods of time. As a result, tiny variations in pressure can produce measurable currents. A slope of one part in one million in sea surface height, for example, will result in a current of 1 cm/s at mid-latitudes. The fact that the Coriolis effect is largest at the poles and weak at the equator results in sharp, relatively steady western boundary currents which are absent on eastern boundaries

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Zackery Schumm

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2y ago

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