Coriolis Parameter

The Coriolis parameter f = 2 omega sin(phi) sets the strength of Earth’s rotation in the equations of motion, where omega is Earth’s angular velocity (7.292 x 10^-5 rad/s) and phi is latitude. It vanishes at the equator and reaches about 1.46 x 10^-4 /s at the poles. Its latitudinal variation, the beta-effect, lets Rossby waves exist. Geostrophic balance, Ekman dynamics, and the Rossby and inertial timescales all scale with f.