Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-fg9bn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-26T00:01:13.596Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An equatorial boundary layer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2006

J. M. Dowden
J. M. Dowden
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, University of Essex, Colchester
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The singularity of the Ekman layer at the equator of a rotating gravitating sphere makes it difficult to satisfy a prescribed stress boundary condition at the surface of a layer of liquid on the sphere. The equations of motion are investigated for a homogeneous ocean with vertical and lateral eddy viscosities. The horizontal Coriolis terms are not neglected. A linear equation for the boundary layer is obtained and a solution of the equation for the boundary-layer part of the velocity field is found in closed form. This is valid in a parameter range which includes the previous solutions of Stewartson and Gill as limiting cases.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 56 , Issue 2 , 28 November 1972 , pp. 193 - 200
Copyright
© 1972 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Carrier, G. F. 1965 Some effects of stratification and geometry in rotating fluids. J. Fluid Mech. 23, 145.Google Scholar
Gill, A. E. 1971 The equatorial current in a homogeneous ocean. Deep Sea Res. 18, 421.Google Scholar
Philander, S. G. H. 1971 On the flow properties of a fluid between concentric spheres. J. Fluid Mech. 47, 799.Google Scholar
Proudman, I. 1956 The almost-rigid rotation of viscous fluid between concentric spheres. J. Fluid Mech. 1, 505.Google Scholar
Stewartson, K. 1966 On almost rigid rotations. Part 2. J. Fluid Mech. 26, 131.Google Scholar
Stommel, H. 1960 Wind-drift near the equator. Deep Sea Res. 6, 298.Google Scholar