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Comments on: Is the Coriolis effect an ‘optical illusion’? by Anders Persson
Author(s) -
White Andy
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.2853
Subject(s) - physics , centrifugal force , classical mechanics , angular momentum , mechanism (biology) , newtonian fluid , moving frame , kinematics , illusion , momentum (technical analysis) , frame (networking) , mechanics , rotational speed , quantum mechanics , computer science , telecommunications , finance , neuroscience , economics , biology
The Coriolis mechanism advocated by Persson involves angular momentum, centrifugal force and Newtonian gravity. The derivation of the usual rotating frame momentum equation is here recalled, and an alternative form noted. Parcel‐frame centrifugal force and Newtonian gravity appear; in the horizontal, coordinate‐frame centrifugal force is a proxy for the latter. The meridional component equation displays part of the mechanism and suggests its close relation to that proposed by Ferrel in the 1850s. A shortcoming of Persson's treatment is corrected. The mechanism provides an illuminating deconstruction of the Coriolis force but emphasises the economy of the usual kinematic treatment.