Coriolis force

From French Coriolis (“a surname”) + English force, after French scientist Gaspard-Gustave Coriolis.

Coriolis force (plural Coriolis forces)

1. (physics, meteorology) A fictitious force apparently exerted on any moving body (including a parcel of air) due to the rotation of the earth, observed as a deflection of the body to the right of its direction of travel (i.e., clockwise) in the Northern Hemisphere, or to the left (anticlockwise) in the Southern Hemisphere; any equivalent apparent force that deflects objects in a rotating reference frame.
   • 2006, J. Gordon Leishman, Principles of Helicopter Aerodynamics‎, page 197:

     On a rotor, Coriolis forces will appear whenever there is a radial lengthening or shortening of the blade about the rotational axis, which will be a result of blade flapping or bending.

   • 2013, C. H. Townes, A.L. Schawlow, Microwave Spectroscopy, page 30:

     These terms are generally thought of as due to Coriolis forces, and represent a coupling of the modes of vibration ω₂ and ω₃ Coriolis forces in the rotating molecule. The Coriolis force is a fictitious force which must be introduced if mechanical motion is studied in a rotating coordinate system and the rotation is otherwise overlooked.

   • 2013, Jack Williams, The AMS Weather Book: The Ultimate Guide to America's Weather‎, page 56:

     First, we'll look at a simplified picture of how the pressure gradient and Coriolis forces affect an air parcel high above the ground.

• (apparent force due to the rotation of the earth): Coriolis effect

• Coriolis effect
• Coriolis frequency
• Coriolis parameter