Fractional flow ($F_w={\lambda }_w/({\lambda }_w+{\lambda }_n)$)

The fraction of total advective Darcy flux carried by one phase when capillary and gravity corrections are omitted. For two phases it is ${\lambda }_w/({\lambda }_w+{\lambda }_n)$. This quantity lies between zero and one for nonnegative phase mobilities. Its nonlinear dependence on fluid saturation determines characteristic speeds and shocks in the Buckley-Leverett equation.