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With constant density divided out, a decaying or periodic geostrophic balance on an f-plane haswhere $q=\zeta -f\eta /H$ is the signed linearized shallow-water potential-vorticity anomaly. The stationary height equation and integration by parts prove the identity. Replacing $q$ by $|q|$ destroys it: an odd height paired with symmetric opposite-sign sheets would then misleadingly give zero.

For an upstream irrotational current on an f-plane in a rigid layer of height $h$, a circular region of height $h(1-ϵ)$ has the displayed relative vorticity if its fluid retains upstream potential vorticity $f/h$. To leading order in the height contrast, take $u=-{\Psi }_y$, $v={\Psi }_x$ and $\Psi =-Uy+\psi$. Solving the Poisson equation for $\psi$ gives $\psi =-C{r}^2/2$ inside and $\psi =C{a}^2[\log (a/r)-1/2]$ outside, where $C=fϵ/2$. The disturbance is clockwise for positive $fϵ$. Variable-depth transport and the transition across the rim introduce higher-order corrections to this leading columnar inversion.

An initial current $U{1}_{|y|<a}$ with flat surface has two oppositely signed vortex sheets. On an f-plane, its local final geostrophic balance hasThe Rossby deformation radius controls the edge layers. The height is continuous and odd; the along-strip velocity is $-g{\eta }_f^{\prime }/f$ and has the sheet jumps. Outgoing inertia-gravity waves carry the energy not retained in this balanced component.

Inertial instability occurs when displaced fluid parcels amplify their displacement by conserving absolute momentum in a rotating flow. For a uniformly stratified basic state on an f-plane, a necessary condition is that the Ertel potential vorticity have the opposite sign to the Coriolis parameter.

An inertial oscillation is the horizontal circular motion of an unforced parcel in a rotating fluid. On an f-plane, $\dot{u}-fv=0$ and $\dot{v}+fu=0$, so the speed is constant and the angular frequency is $|f|$.

For a constant-depth resting layer on an f-plane, the depth-scaled linear potential vorticity anomaly isIt satisfies $q_t=0$ under the linearized shallow water equations. The physical perturbation of $(f+\zeta )/(H+\eta )$ is $q/H$. The signed scalar $q$, not its absolute value, is used in potential-vorticity inversion and balanced energy pairings.

On an f-plane, linear shallow-water plane waves have one zero-frequency geostrophic mode and two inertia-gravity modes with ${\omega }^2=f^2+c^2(k^2+l^2)$. The crossover scale $c/|f|$ is the barotropic deformation radius.

Let $H=h_{00}+\zeta$ and write the horizontal shallow water equations on the constant f-plane asKeeping only terms linear in the disturbance about rest gives the linearized shallow water equationsDefine the horizontal divergence $\delta =u_x+v_y$ and relative vorticity $q=v_x-u_y$. Taking respectively the divergence and vertical curl of the momentum equation yieldsTogether with ${\zeta }_t=-h_{00}\delta$, this provesThe nonlinear shallow-water potential vorticity is $Q=(f+q)/H$. The nonlinear vertical vorticity equation gives $D(f+q)/Dt=-(f+q)\delta$, while mass conservation gives $DH/Dt=-H\delta$; their ratio is therefore materially conserved. Expanding about rest,Advection of its constant background contributes nothing at first order, explaining why the displayed linear anomaly is conserved at each fixed position.

A further time derivative eliminates $q$ and $\zeta$ from the divergence equation:For a plane wave with horizontal wavevector $(k,l)$, write $K=\sqrt{k^2+l^2}$. More directly, substituting the plane wave into the three linear equations gives a coefficient matrix with determinant proportional to $\omega [{\omega }^2-f^2-c_0^2{K}^2]$. Thus the full linear rotating shallow-water dispersion relation has one balanced branch and two wave branches:The latter are inertia-gravity waves. The positive branch starts at $f$ with zero slope and tends to the straight line $c_{0}K$; the negative branch is its reflection. The requested sketch, including the stationary branch, is

For the positive-frequency branch, the magnitudes of the phase velocity and group velocity areThe group velocity vector is $c_0^2(k,l)/\omega$; the negative branch reverses its direction. Near $\omega =f$, namely $K{R}_D\ll 1$ with the Rossby deformation radius $R_D=c_0/f$, $c_p\sim f/K$ is large while $c_g\sim c_0^{2}K/f$ is small. The $K=0$ limit is an inertial oscillation, for which a spatial phase speed is not defined. Far above $f$, both speeds approach $c_0$, the shallow water gravity-wave speed, with $c_p>c_0$ and $c_g<c_0$ at finite $K$.

On the zero-frequency branch, geostrophic balance givesFor a nonconstant plane wave, $\hat{q}=-(g{K}^2/f)\hat{\zeta }$: relative vorticity and elevation have opposite signs. They can both be nonzero and spatially structured, whereas the horizontal divergence vanishes identically. A constant elevation is also a zero-frequency solution, with zero velocity and zero relative vorticity.

For the initially resting ridge, set ${\zeta }_0(x)=ϵh_{00}{e}^{-x^2/L^2}$ and assume an unbounded domain, uniform in $y$. Initial potential vorticity fixesIn the balanced remainder, insert $q_s=(g/f){\zeta }_s^{\prime \prime }$ to obtainThe decaying Green's function of this modified Helmholtz equation gives the Geostrophic adjustment of a Gaussian height ridge explicitly:The initial outward pressure force creates a cross-ridge current; the Coriolis acceleration turns that current and builds the along-ridge geostrophic flow. The remainder is radiated inertia-gravity waves, not a dissipative disappearance of energy.

For precision, use the Fourier transform $\hat{\zeta }(k)=\int \zeta (x)e^{-ikx}dx$. Initial rest implies ${\zeta }_t(x,0)=0$, and the conserved anomaly givesConsequentlyThese formulas satisfy both initial conditions. They also show that the waves carry no linear potential vorticity anomaly: $q=(f/h_{00})(\zeta -{\zeta }_0)$ and $\delta =-{\zeta }_t/h_{00}$ reconstruct the remaining fields, with $u$ and $v$ obtained from their derivatives. On the infinite line, dispersive wave packets propagate away and decay locally, leaving the balanced ridge and its oppositely directed flanking currents. Conservation of energy still holds globally. In a reflecting finite basin, standing waves may persist, so a permanent pointwise relaxation is not guaranteed without dissipation.

If $L\gg R_D$, most of the initial elevation remains balanced: ${\zeta }_s\simeq {\zeta }_0$ with small smoothing corrections. If $L\ll R_D$, the balanced ridge spreads to width $R_D$, and away from the original narrow coreThus the final central height is much smaller than the initial one and the wave component is substantial. The integral of the balanced elevation equals the initial integral, since the Green's function has unit integral; the oscillatory component has zero net added volume.

The quasi-geostrophic approximation isolates slowly evolving, nearly balanced motions in a rotating, stably stratified fluid. Ocean eddies and mid-latitude atmospheric disturbances often have this character: a leading Coriolis force–pressure balance suppresses rapid horizontal acceleration, while hydrostatic balance suppresses rapid vertical acceleration. Small ageostrophic flow nevertheless supplies the vertical motion that changes the leading vorticity. The approximation filters fast inertia-gravity waves while retaining nonlinear transport, vertical shear and Rossby waves.

Use a reference density ${\rho }_0$ and remove the background hydrostatic pressure. Let $\pi =p^{\prime }/{\rho }_0$ and let the upward buoyancy perturbation be $b=-g{\rho }^{\prime }/{\rho }_0$. A vertically varying reference density stratification has $N^2(z)>0$. Under the Boussinesq approximation, the inviscid and adiabatic equations areHere $D/Dt={\partial }_t+{\mathbf{u}}_H\cdot {\nabla }_H+w{\partial }_z$. Density variations are small compared with ${\rho }_0$ but retained in the vertical buoyancy force. This is a useful local, incompressible description; a compressible atmosphere needs the corresponding weighted or pressure-coordinate version.

Let horizontal and vertical lengths be $L,H$, speed be $U$, and take the slow time $L/U$. Take $f_0>0$ for definiteness; use $|f_0|$ in the scale estimates in the opposite hemisphere. The principal small parameter is the Rossby number $\mathrm{Ro}=U/(f_{0}L)\ll 1$ at a latitude where $f_0\ne 0$. For the hydrostatic, strongly stratified regime, $H/L\ll 1$ and $f_0/N\ll 1$. Retaining both horizontal vorticity and vortex stretching gives the Burger numberThe geostrophic balance pressure scale is $f_{0}UL$ and the buoyancy perturbation scale is $B=f_{0}UL/H$. Hence $B/(N^{2}H)=\mathrm{Ro}/\mathrm{Bu}\ll 1$: buoyancy perturbations produce small displacements relative to the background stratification scale. The ageostrophic flow is $O(\mathrm{Ro}U)$ and incompressibility then gives $w=O(\mathrm{Ro}UH/L)$. Vertical acceleration is smaller than hydrostatic terms by order ${\mathrm{Ro}}^2(f_0/N{)}^2$ in this scaling. Weak forcing or diffusion can be added at the slow order, but neither is present here.

Define the quasi-geostrophic streamfunction by $\psi =\pi /f_0$. Leading geostrophic balance and hydrostatic balance implyDifferentiating horizontally and vertically gives the thermal-wind balanceThus vertical shear is determined by horizontal buoyancy gradients. The homogeneous Taylor–Proudman theorem is recovered only when those gradients vanish. Stable stratification allows sloping density surfaces and different geostrophic flow at different levels, without abandoning leading balance.

The Prandtl ratio of scales makes that modification quantitative. Horizontal and vertical terms in balanced potential-vorticity inversion have sizes $\psi /L^2$ and $(f_0^2/N^2)\psi /H^2$. Equality givesFor constant $N$, $Z=(N/|f_0|)z$ makes the inversion operator an ordinary three-dimensional Laplacian. Equivalently, an interior balanced disturbance of horizontal size $L$ naturally penetrates a depth of order $|f_0|L/N$. With $N\gg |f_0|$ this is a thin, vertically sheared structure, rather than the arbitrarily tall homogeneous columns suggested by strict Taylor–Proudman theorem behaviour. This is an aspect-ratio statement, not the diffusivity Prandtl number.

To allow a weak meridional variation of the Coriolis parameter, use the beta plane $f=f_0+\beta y$, with $\beta L/f_0=O(\mathrm{Ro})$, or equivalently $\beta L^2/U=O(1)$. The small correction to the leading balance is dynamically important on the slow time. Let $\xi ={\nabla }_H^2\psi$ be vertical relative vorticity and let $D_g={\partial }_t+{\mathbf{u}}_g\cdot {\nabla }_H$. At the first nontrivial order, the vertical vorticity equation and buoyancy equation reduce toRelative-vorticity stretching and tilting are higher order here; planetary-vorticity stretching $f_0{w}_z$ must remain. Eliminate $w$ to expose a materially conserved balanced scalar. Because ${\mathbf{u}}_{g,z}=(-b_y/f_0,b_x/f_0)$, the commutator term ${\mathbf{u}}_{g,z}\cdot {\nabla }_{H}b$ is exactly zero. For $N=N(z)$ this givesAdding the two equations proves the quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equationAn additive constant such as $f_0$ changes no dynamics. The horizontal streamfunction advection bracket can express this as $Q_t+{\psi }_x{Q}_y-{\psi }_y{Q}_x=0$. Although small departures from balance generated this evolution equation, the leading geostrophic flow itself advects $Q$ nonlinearly. The stretching term couples horizontal motion to vertical displacement of density surfaces.

This gives the practical advection-and-inversion description. Start with interior three-dimensional quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity, advect it with ${\mathbf{u}}_g$, and recover $\psi$ fromThe stratified quasi-geostrophic inversion is elliptic for positive $N^2$. It must be supplied with lateral and vertical boundary conditions and any circulation or mean-flow constraints; interior potential vorticity alone is not sufficient. At rigid horizontal lids, $w=0$ makes boundary buoyancy satisfy $D_{g}b=0$, and $b=f_0{\psi }_z$ supplies the vertical derivative data for inversion. Boundary buoyancy perturbations can therefore support flow even when the interior anomaly is zero. Once $\psi$ is found, its horizontal derivatives give velocity, its vertical derivative gives buoyancy, and the thermodynamic equation diagnoses $w$. This balanced evolution excludes the independent fast-wave initial data present in the full equations.

Finally, a gradient in $f$ supplies a restoring mechanism even in an otherwise uniform fluid. Linearizing about rest with constant $N$, the quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equation becomesSubstitution of $\psi \propto e^{i(kx+ly+mz-\omega t)}$ gives the Rossby wave dispersionFor $\beta >0$, its zonal phase speed is westward relative to a resting background. A meridionally displaced parcel retains potential vorticity, so it acquires a relative-vorticity anomaly that induces the velocity tending to return the disturbance. Background shear and stratification modify the full potential-vorticity gradient; they can alter propagation or permit instability. On a constant f-plane the planetary contribution vanishes, but gradients of relative vorticity, boundary buoyancy or topography can still support balanced wave motion. Close enough to the equator that $f_0$ vanishes, this mid-latitude quasi-geostrophic approximation and its scaling must be replaced.

Take $\mathbf{f}=f\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ with $f>0$, and put $\zeta =v_x-u_y$, $d=u_x+v_y$ and $q=\zeta -f\eta /H$. Here $q$ denotes the signed vertical component of the linearized shallow-water potential-vorticity anomaly, rather than its magnitude. The divergence and vertical curl of the linearized shallow water equations giveConsequently $q_t=0$. Eliminating $d$ and substituting $\zeta =q+f\eta /H$ givesThe vector forcing is $-H\mathbf{f}\cdot \mathbf{q}$. This is potential-vorticity conservation in its linear, f-plane form: the conserved anomaly forces a stationary balanced part, while the homogeneous equation supports inertial-gravity waves.

For the initial strip, differentiating the discontinuous velocity in the sense of distributions givesThese are two oppositely signed vortex sheets. In the final geostrophic balance, $v_f=0$ and $u_f=-g{\eta }_f^{\prime }/f$. The height therefore solvesThis is the Rossby deformation radius. Decay at infinity fixes the Green function to $G(y)=-\lambda e^{-|y|/\lambda }/2$. Thus the geostrophic adjustment of a finite-width current has the particularly useful representationExpanding the exponentials inside the strip gives ${\eta }_f/H=-(U/c)e^{-a/\lambda }\sinh (y/\lambda )$; above the strip it gives $-(U/c)e^{-y/\lambda }\sinh (a/\lambda )$, and below it gives $(U/c)e^{y/\lambda }\sinh (a/\lambda )$. The height is continuous, odd and exponentially localized. Its derivative has the jumps required by the two Dirac delta functions.

Differentiating the height, rather than assuming a uniform final current, gives the complete velocity:The one-sided velocity jump is $U$ at each edge, with opposite orientations. The value exactly on an idealized vortex sheet is immaterial. Inside the strip the current remains in the original direction; outside it a return current develops.

Let $r=a/\lambda$ and $s=y/\lambda$. For $r\ll 1$, $u_f/U=1-r+O(r^2)$ over the narrow strip, while the outside return flow is approximately $-r{e}^{-|s|}$. The height varies almost linearly across the strip, $c{\eta }_f/(HU)\simeq -s$, and has extrema of magnitude $(1-e^{-2r})/2\simeq r$ at its edges. For $r\gg 1$, the central current is exponentially small: $u_f(0)/U=e^{-r}$. Each edge supports a layer of width $\lambda$, with $u_f/U\simeq \frac{1}{2}{e}^{-(a-|y|)/\lambda }$ on its inner side and $-\frac{1}{2}{e}^{-(|y|-a)/\lambda }$ outside. The corresponding height extrema approach $\pm HU/(2c)$, with almost zero height deep inside and far outside. Both requested profiles are drawn from the exact functions below; the dashed jumps represent one-sided velocity limits.

For balanced shallow-water energy as a signed potential-vorticity pairing, divide out the constant density and work per unit distance in $x$. The kinetic energy plus surface potential energy isMultiplication of the stationary height equation by ${\eta }_f$ and integration by parts, with vanishing end terms, yieldsThe same expression holds with $dA$ for a finite two-dimensional domain or a finite periodic length in $x$. The infinite strip's total energy is infinite, so both energies and their ratio are understood per unit $x$-length.

There is a sign defect in the printed energy expression: $|\mathbf{q}|$ must be replaced by the signed component $\hat{\mathbf{f}}\cdot \mathbf{q}$. Indeed, $|q_0|=|U|[\delta (y-a)+\delta (y+a)]$, so pairing it with the odd ${\eta }_f$ gives zero, although the balanced state has positive energy. The signed pairing givesSince $E_i=H{U}^{2}a$, the energy retention in finite-width geostrophic adjustment isFor $r\ll 1$ this ratio is $1-r+\frac{2}{3}{r}^2+O(r^3)$: nearly all energy remains in the narrow balanced current. For $r\gg 1$ it is approximately $1/(2r)$: only the edge regions retain balanced energy. Conservation of energy still holds for the inviscid evolution. The missing balanced energy is carried away by inertia-gravity waves; “final state” means the local balanced limit after those waves leave, rather than a loss of the total energy over the entire infinite domain.

Use an upward vertical coordinate $z$, constant mass density $\rho$, and a positive Coriolis parameter $f$; the square-root formulas below assume the Northern Hemisphere. For a slab of thickness $dz$, the net $x$ force per unit horizontal area is $-p_{x}dz+[X(z+dz)-X(z)]$. Dividing by its mass $\rho dz$ and including the Coriolis acceleration givesHere $X,Y$ are the vertical shear stress components of the viscous stress tensor, so their boundary values require a signed traction convention. Linearization removes advective acceleration. Decompose the horizontal velocity into an exterior pressure response and an Ekman layer correction. On an f-plane these satisfyandThe exterior pressure response is in geostrophic balance when steady. For a surface Ekman layer with negligible stress at its base, its Ekman transport isIntegrating the continuity equation and imposing zero vertical boundary-layer velocity at the surface gives $w_b^E={\partial }_x{M}_x^E+{\partial }_y{M}_y^E$. Thus the base velocity, positive upward, isThe PDF prints the opposite sign. Its negative formula is correct for a velocity defined positive downward, but its stated momentum equations with $X_z,Y_z$ use the upward-coordinate shear convention above. This sign must be accounted for when interpreting the subsequent pumping equation.

For constant kinematic viscosity, write $W_E=u^E+i{v}^E$ and $\delta =\sqrt{2\nu /f}$. The steady Ekman layer equation is $\nu W_E^{\prime \prime }=if{W}_E$. Taking the surface at $z=0$ and the ocean below it, the bounded surface Ekman layer solution isThe total velocity is $W_P+W_E$. Prescribed wind stress determines the coefficient of this Ekman layer correction; it does not determine a relation between the wind and the independent pressure-driven velocity. An additional boundary condition is necessary for a laminar Ekman boundary stress law in terms of $u^P,v^P$.

The two printed laminar stress formulas and the positive pressure-Laplacian pumping formula are instead the standard Bottom Ekman layer relations. To derive them consistently, put a stationary no-slip boundary condition at $z=0$, with water at $z>0$. ThenConsequentlyThese are shear stress values; the actual bottom traction on the fluid has the opposite sign. Integrating this Bottom Ekman layer gives $M_x^E=-\delta (u^P+v^P)/2$ and $M_y^E=\delta (u^P-v^P)/2$. Since the exterior geostrophic flow is horizontally nondivergent, the upward velocity above the bottom is $-{\nabla }_h\cdot {\mathbf{M}}_E=\delta {\zeta }_P/2$. Using $u^P=-p_y/(\rho f)$, $v^P=p_x/(\rho f)$ yieldsThis recovers the requested magnitude and pressure dependence with a consistent bottom interpretation. The surface version would require its own specified boundary velocity and corresponding signs.

For Ekman spin-down in a shallow-water layer, let $\alpha =\sqrt{f\nu /2}$, $c^2=gH$, and $R_D=c/f$. Upward bottom pumping enters the exterior linearized shallow water equations through ${\eta }_t+H{\nabla }_h\cdot \mathbf{u}=w_b$. Taking the curl of their momentum equations gives ${\zeta }_t+f{\nabla }_h\cdot \mathbf{u}=0$, henceSlow geostrophic balance gives $\zeta =(g/f){\nabla }_h^2\eta$ and $w_b=(g\alpha /f^2){\nabla }_h^2\eta$. Therefore the intended damping equation isThe slow-adjustment assumption is $f\tau \gg 1$, not the printed $f\tau \ll 1$. The printed negative pumping term in continuity can alternatively describe downward extraction at the upper boundary, but it cannot be combined unchanged with the upward bottom pumping just derived. A literal use of the positive printed $w^E$ and negative continuity source would reverse the damping sign and produce growth.

For a Fourier mode $\eta =\hat{\eta }(t)e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}}$ with $|\mathbf{k}|=\kappa >0$, substitution givesFor scales small compared with the Rossby deformation radius, $\kappa R_D\gg 1$ and $\tau \simeq H/\alpha$, independent of wavenumber. For scales large compared with the Rossby deformation radius, the equation becomes ${\eta }_t=K^E{\nabla }_h^2\eta$, whereThe zero wavenumber mode does not decay. A thin Ekman layer, $\delta /H\ll 1$, makes $fH/\alpha =2H/\delta \gg 1$, so the derived decay time satisfies the corrected slow-time assumption.

Write $H_{\pm }=H_0\pm d$, with the upper sign referring to $y>0$, and use an f-plane with Coriolis parameter $f_0>0$ for the stated directions. The formulas retain the signed $f_0$; a positive Rossby deformation radius means $R_{\pm }=\sqrt{g{H}_{\pm }}/|f_0|$. Let $\rho$ be the constant fluid density.

Far from the depth step the problem is independent of $y$. The linearized shallow water equations imply conservation of $v_x-f_0\eta /H_{\pm }$. Initially this is $-f_0{\eta }_0\mathrm{sgn}(x)/H_{\pm }$. In geostrophic balance, $u_s=0$ and $v_s=g{\eta }_{s,x}/f_0$, soBoundedness and matching of height and its derivative at $x=0$ give geostrophic adjustment of a surface-height jump:The potential energy release per unit length in $y$ is the finite difference between two individually infinite energies:For comparison, the final kinetic energy is $\rho g{\eta }_0^2{R}_{\pm }/2$, so the energy radiated in inertia-gravity waves is $\rho g{\eta }_0^2{R}_{\pm }$. Integrating the depth-weighted velocity over $x$ gives the volume transportsFor $f_0,{\eta }_0>0$, $Q_{-}$ is towards the step and $Q_{+}$ is away from it. Their difference is $4g{\eta }_{0}d/f_0$; a global steady state cannot simply join the two far-field currents without additional transport along the step.

To obtain the rotating shallow-water height equation with variable depth, set $\zeta =v_x-u_y$ and $J_H={\partial }_x(Hv)-{\partial }_y(Hu)$. Direct differentiation of the original momentum and continuity equations givesConsequentlyAt the step, $H_y=2d\delta (y)$ is a Dirac delta distribution; the original matching conditions are used rather than assuming a smooth depth there. Velocity elimination raises the time order: initially ${\eta }_t=0$ and ${\eta }_{tt}=g{\nabla }_h\cdot (H{\nabla }_h\eta )$, as well as the prescribed initial height.

For a decaying harmonic disturbance, the height equation on each constant-depth side givesSolving the two momentum equations yieldsContinuity of $H\hat{v}$ at the step gives the implicit step-trapped topographic Rossby wave dispersion relationThis derivation assumes ${\omega }^2\ne f_0^2$ and positive decay rates; it describes the low-frequency trapped branch, rather than the radiating inertia-gravity waves.

In the quasi-geostrophic approximation, replace $f_0^2-{\omega }^2$ by $f_0^2$. The resulting explicit frequency, and then its leading small-$d/H_0$ form, areFor $d>0$, the phase velocity has the sign of $f_0$. Thus propagation is eastward in the Northern Hemisphere, with the shallower side on the right. Differentiating the leading dispersion relation givesIn the long-wave limit the group velocity and phase velocity coincide:

To find the slow amplitude, integrate the low-frequency height equation across the step. This gives ${\partial }_t[H{\eta }_y]=f_0[H]{\eta }_x$, where brackets mean the upper-side minus lower-side value. For the given exponentially trapped outer profile, $[H{\eta }_y]=2H_{0}A/R_D$ and ${\eta }_x(x,0)=2{\eta }_0\delta (x)-A_x$. Hence long-wave transport along a depth step obeysThe method of characteristics, interpreted for the Dirac delta distribution source, givesFor $c_T>0$ this is $2{\eta }_0$ in $0<x<c_{T}t$ and zero outside: a surface depression is left in the wake of the wave. The sharp $x$-jump is a long-wave outer approximation. The fast adjustment region of width $O(R_D)$ near the origin, and the detailed wavefront, are unresolved. Keeping a smoothed background ${\eta }_s(x)$ instead would give $A_t+c_T{A}_x=c_T{\eta }_s^{\prime }(x)$ and $A={\eta }_s(x)-{\eta }_s(x-c_{T}t)$ at this order.

The along-step geostrophic flow is $u=-g{\eta }_y/f_0$. Integrating separately over the two sides givesIn the wake, $T_{-}=Q_{-}$ and $T_{+}=-Q_{+}$. The shallow-side transport is eastward and the deep-side transport westward, with magnitudes equal to the respective far-field currents. The net along-step transport is $T_{-}+T_{+}=-4g{\eta }_{0}d/f_0$, balancing their mismatch. These comparisons use the stated leading long-wave and small-depth-contrast approximations.

The constant $f=2\Omega \sin \phi$ is the positive Coriolis parameter at northern latitude $\phi$, $g$ is the gravitational acceleration, and $h$ is the undisturbed mean depth of the layer.

The linearized shallow water equations assume a homogeneous, incompressible, inviscid layer over a flat bed; a horizontal scale much larger than the depth, so the shallow-water approximation and hydrostatic approximation apply; depth-independent horizontal velocity; a free-surface displacement $|\eta |\ll h$ and sufficiently small velocity to neglect nonlinear products; and an f-plane on which $f$ is constant. The equations also omit viscosity, forcing, and bottom topography.

At latitude ${\theta }_0$, resolve the planetary angular velocity asFor velocity $(u,v,w)$, the Coriolis acceleration isThe traditional approximation drops the terms involving the horizontal rotation component $\Omega \cos {\theta }_0$. The retained horizontal force is thereforeIts direct velocity-scale requirement isFor an incompressible flow, $W/U=O(H/L)$, so a sufficient condition istogether with the small aspect ratio that makes hydrostatic pressure the leading vertical momentum balance. The approximation consequently becomes delicate near the equator.