The Ekman number is a dimensionless number used in describing geophysical phenomena in the oceans and atmosphere. It characterises the ratio of viscous forces in a fluid to the fictitious forces arising from planetary rotation. It is named after the Swedish oceanographer Vagn Walfrid Ekman.
More generally, in any rotating flow, the Ekman number is the ratio of viscous forces to Coriolis forces. When the Ekman number is small, disturbances are able to propagate before decaying owing to frictional effects. The Ekman number describes the order of magnitude for the thickness of an Ekman layer, a boundary layer in which viscous diffusion is balanced by Coriolis effects, rather than the usual convective inertia.
Read more about Ekman Number: Definitions
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