The Coriolis Acceleration is Fictitious

Joseph Stanovsky PhD

2013 by J.S.
THE CORIOLIS MAZE
Papers that include the effect of rotating coordinate axes or a Coriolis acceleration,
or force or effect all begin with a coordinate system like that in Fig 1, or should.

x
y
X
Y
z
y
Z
z
X
y Z
Y
Z
X
Y
O
O
O O
Non rotating axes +- X-axis rotation +- Y-axis rotation +- Z-axis rotation
Figure 1: The non-rotating X, Y and Z-axes are shown with rotating x, y and z-axes.
The directions selected are those for which a positive rotation about the X-axis
tends to rotate the y-axis to the positive Z-axis, a rotation about the Y-axis tends to
rotate the z-axis to the positive X axis and a positive rotation about the Z-axis tends
to rotate the x-axis to the positive Y-axis. The axes in Fig 1 satisfy the applications of a
right hand mnemonic rule.
The acceleration of a particle is shown in eq. (1).
The total derived acceleration = d
2
/D /dt
2
=
d
2
x/dt
2
i
d
2
y/dt
2
j
d
2
z/dt
2
k
+2
dx/dt di/dt
dy/dt dj/dt
dz/dt dk/dt
(1)
The second matrix in eq. (1) is the a Coriolis Acceleration. The acceleration in
eq. (1) is shown in eq. (2) with the Coriolis Acceleration set equal to zero.
The Acceleration = d
2
/D
P/Q
/dt
2
=
d
2
x/dt
2
i
d
2
y/dt
2
j
d
2
z/dt
2
k
+0 (2)
This zero matrix is identified in eq. (1) as the Coriolis Acceleration. The Coriolis
acceleration is made zero because di/dt = dj/dt = dk/dt = 0 (unit vectors i = j = k = 1).
The following derivation of the Coriolis acceleration is a facsimile of the derivation
of the National Weather Service [http://www.nws.noaa.gov/of.wind.deriv.shtml].
(d
2
R/dt
2
)
s
= 2 ( v
s/e
) +dv
s/e
/dt (3)
air mass acceleration relative to earth surface
air mass acceleration relative to earth center
Coriolis acceleration relative to earth surface
The terms in eq. (3) describe acceleration but the units may not all be identical. In
order to demonstrate derivation details of eq. (3) it is necessary to form eqs. (4), (5),
(6) and (7). The velocity of a wind mass relative to the surface of earth is in eq. (8).
- 1 -
THE CORIOLIS EFFECT
v
s/e
= r
wind/surface

1 1 1
0 0
Cos Sin 0
= r
wind/surface

- Sin
Cos
0
(8)
The derivative of eq. (8) is dv
s/e
/dt. For identification purposes the superscripts A
and B are added to the matrices in eq. (9).
dv
s/e
/dt = d(r
wind/surface
)/dt
- Sin
Cos
0

A
+r
wind/surface

- Cos d/dt
- Sin d/dt
0
B
(9)
It can only be assumed that d(r
wind/surface
)/dt = in A and that d/dt = in B.
There is little or no proof this is so. Equation (10) is also required in eq. (3).
v
s/e
= r
wind/surface

1 1 1
0 0
- Sin Cos 0
= r
wind/surface

-
2
Cos
-
2
Sin
0
(10)
Substituting eqs. (9) and (10) into eq. (3) concludes the demonstration. The vector
sum in eq. (3) is performed in eq. (11) again with d(r
wind/surface
)/dt = and d/dt = .
(d
2
R/dt
2
)
s
= r
wind/surface

-
2
Cos
-
2
Sin
0
{+}
-
2
Sin

2
Cos
0
A
{+}
-
2
Sin
-
2
Cos
0
B

(11)
The acceleration units are identical.
Equation (12) is formed from eq. (11) by assuming = 0.
(d
2
R/dt
2
)
s
= r
wind/surface

-
2
Cos
0
0
{+}
0

2
Cos
0
A
{+}
0
-
2
Cos
0
B

(12)
The sum of the A and B tensors is zero. From this result it is concluded there is no
Coriolis acceleration, only the centripetal acceleration in the first matrix, as expected.
The matrices describe a centripetal acceleration.
Furthermore, line 1 in eq. (12) of the tensor matrix houses an x-component whereas
line 2 is a y-component.
THE CORIOLIS EFFECT
Even though a Coriolis acceleration is proved non-existant even though it was
central to a 1996 paper by Dave Van Domelen:The Coriolis Effect:A (Fairly) Simple
Explanation. A copy at http://status.ssec.wisc.edu/courses/gg101/coriolis/coriolis.html.
Dave Van Domelens paper is used here because of information in it about the use
of a Coriolis effect rather than the use of rotating coordinates.
Van Domelen begins: Its in just about every classical dynamics or mathematical
physics text. No engineering texts contain any reference to a Coriolis effect.
Even so, Van Domelen follows with a Coriolis Acceleration, a definition that is
identical to that in eq. (1). Van Domelen uses the definition and centrally located:
twice the cross product of angular velocity and linear velocity.
2 ( v) (13)
Consider Van Domelens simplistic introduction; The Coriolis Force. Responsible
for large scale weather patterns and legendary cause of the direction the water swirls
down the sink (although it generally isnt). But when trying to explain how it really
works, most physicists come up with a blank, point to the equation [2 ( v)] and
mutter something about rotating frames of reference. Its not our fault, weve only
- 2 -
THE CORIOLIS EFFECT
ever seen the equations and rotating frame explanations. This article will attempt to
explain the basic workings of the Coriolis Effect in terms a non-physicist can
understand. --- WALOR --- (what a load of rubbish)
Notice, that after the definition of a Coriolis Acceleration, the article indicates it is
a Coriolis Force that causes large scale weather patterns (this has never been proved)
and this Coriolis force is the legendary cause for the direction of water as it swirls
down a sink (This is nonsense. A Coriolis force is not the cause of the swirl or its
direction but if used is only an opinion).
That physicist was correct for at least two reasons: (1) the equation [2 ( v)] was
known to be worthless and thus not usable, and (2) the physicists advice about the use
of rotating frames of reference was then correct as it is now.
The author confesses that weve only ever seen the equations and rotating frame
explanations, then ignores the advice to apply a correct solution and instead, plunges
in to the Coriolis Effect in terms a non-physicist can understand. Notice that this
paper is about the Coriolis Effect and not about a Coriolis force.
After the paragraph that ends in terms a non-physicist can understand come the
premises:the first is labeled --- A:The Basic Premises of which there are three. They
are the 1st Law, spherical geometry and the centripetal acceleration (ignore these).
Strangeness in the language about centripetal acceleration is compelling because
the statement about it deals only with velocity; If the velocity is too high the object
will try to increase its radius, if the velocity is too low the object will try to decrease its
radius (objects will try? really? Best to follow advice of the advising physicist).
These recitations about centripetal acceleration are examined. The results were not
easily interpreted but are included for those interested in viewing eqs (14) to (26).
Equation (14) defines L, the location of particle R, measured from the z-axis to a
point on the surface of a rigid body rotating around the z-axis (refer to Fig 1).
L = R
Cos
Sin
0
feet (14)
The velocity at L in a rotating line is defined by cross product
.
R in eq. (15).
v =
.
R =
R

1 1 1
0 0
.

Cos Sin 0
=
.
R
-Sin
Cos
0
feet per second (15)
Equation (16) defines the dot product v v and the vector magnitude squared | v
2
|.
v v = | v
2
| =
.
R
-Sin
Cos
0

.
R
-Sin
Cos
0
=
.

2
R
2
(+Sin
2
+Cos
2
) =
.

2
R
2
(16)
The magnitude of v is defined in eq. (17).
v =
.
R feet per second (17)
The acceleration a = dv/dt is defined in eq. (18).
a = dv/dt = d
.
/dt R +
.
dR/dt (18)
The jerk, or da/dt, is defined by the differentiation in eq. (19).
da/dt = d
2
v/dt
2
= d
2
.
/dt
2
R +d
.
/dt dR/dt +d
.
/dt dR/dt +
.
d
2
R/dt
2
(19)
If it is assumed that da/dt = 0, eq. (19) simplifies to eq. (20).
- 3 -
THE CORIOLIS EFFECT
da/dt = 0 = d
2
v/dt
2
= 0 = d
2
.
/dt
2
R +2 d
.
/dt dR/dt +
.
d
2
R/dt
2
(20)
The result in eq. (20) is too complex to evaluate Von Domelens recitations about
centripetal acceleration. Instead, consider the acceleration of the rigid body at point L.
The acceleration a is defined in eq. (21) and evaluated in eqs. (22) and (23).
a = (d
.
/dt R) +
.
(
.
R) (21)
a =
R

1 1 1
0 0 d
.
/dt
Cos Sin 0
+
R

1 1 1
0 0
.

-Sin Cos 0
(22)
a = d
.
/dt R
-Sin
Cos
0
+
.

2
R
-Cos
- Sin
0
= R
-d
.
/dt Sin -
.

2
Cos
d
.
/dt Cos -
.

2
Sin
0
(23)
The magnitude |a
2
| of eq. (23) is defined in eq. (24).
a a = |a
2
|= R
2

{
(d
.
/dt)
2
+(
.
)
4

}
(24)
The magnitude |a | is defined in eq. (25).
|a | = R (d
.
/dt)
2
+(
.
)
4
(25)
The jerk da/dt is the time derivative of eq. (23), defined in eq. (26).
da/dt = dR/dt
-d
.
/dt Sin -
.

2
Cos
d
.
/dt Cos -
.

2
Sin
0

+R
-d
2
.
/dt
2
Sin -2 d
.
/dt Cos
d
2
.
/dt
2
Cos -2 d
.
/dt Sin
0
+R
.

-d
.
/dt Cos +
.

2
Sin
-d
.
/dt Sin -
.

2
Cos
0
(26)
The result in eq. (26) is too complex to evaluate Von Domelens recitations about
centripetal acceleration.
SUMMARY
The acceleration in eq. (1) is determined by differentiating relative to time the
displacement equation (similar to | x y z | feet) to form a velocity equation. A
time differentiation of the velocity yields the acceleration shown in eq. (1). The action
in eq. (2) declares the Coriolis acceleration is zero. This action is sound mathematics.
Consider the Coriolis acceleration, 2 ( v) = 0, in which and v are described in
eq. (27) for a rigid body rotating about a z-axis, like that in Fig 1.
=
0
0
1
radian per second and v =
.
R
-Sin
Cos
0
feet per second (27)
Equation (17) is the dot product of the two vectors in eq. (27); they are orthogonal.
v =
0
0
1

.
R
-Sin
Cos
0
= 0 (28)
Equation (29) is the cross product ( v).
- 4 -
THE CORIOLIS EFFECT
( v) = .
R
1 1 1
0 0
-Sin Cos 0
=
.
R
-Cos
-Sin
0
(29)
The component of ( v) parallel to is defined in eq. (30).

.
R
-Cos
-Sin
0

0
0
1
= 0 (30)
The component of ( v) parallel to v is defined in eq. (31).

.
R
-Cos
-Sin
0

.
R
-Sin
Cos
0
= 0 (31)
Equations (30) and (31) prove that and v are orthogonal vectors. Furthermore,
eq. (32) is an important solution formed by substituting
.
= into eq. (29).
( v) =
2
R
-Cos
-Sin
0
(32)
Equation (32) indicates that ( v) is a centripetal acceleration. Equation (33) is
formed by differentiating both sides of eq. (32) relative to time with the result set equal
to zero.
d( v)/dt = 2 d/dt R
-Cos
-Sin
0
+
2
dR/dt
-Cos
-Sin
0
+
3
R
Sin
-Cos
0
=
0
0
0
(33)
Equation (33) indicates that ( v) is constant for all if d/dt = 0 and dR/dt = 0.
If the angular velocity is zero, or very small, then ( v) = 0. Furthermore, neither
condition confirms Van Domelens recitations.
The angular velocity of Earth, is very, very small. An approximate value for is
developed in eq. (34).
=
(2 ) (1 +2/365.2565)
24 60 60
= 7.3973 10
-5
radian per second (34)
The smallness of ( v) is demonstrated in eq. (35) by evaluating eq. (32).
v) =
2
R
-Cos
-Sin
0
=
{
7.3973 10
-5

}
2
R
-Cos
-Sin
0

feet second
second
(35)
Note that when executed
{
7.3973 10
-5

}
2
= 5.472 10
-9
(radian per second)
2
CONCLUSION
The anticipated Coriolis acceleration in eq. (35) is not the Coriolis acceleration but
the centripetal acceleration of a rigid body rotating around a coordinate axis.
As a consequence of the equations that prove the Coriolis Acceleration does not
exist it is important to identify the same fate for the Coriolis Force and Coriolis effect.
In order to eliminate the use of terms of little value or with no meaning at all in
future research papers it is suggested that rotating coordinate axes be used instead of a
Coriolis acceleration, force or effect.
- 5 -