Scale analysis

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-008674",
  "term": "Scale analysis",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definition": "A method used to simplify the governing equations of atmospheric or oceanic motion by estimating the orders of magnitude of the individual terms. By comparing the typical sizes of terms based on characteristic scales for velocity, length, time, and pressure, terms that are comparatively small for a specific phenomenon can be neglected. This process reduces the complexity of the equations, leading to a more tractable system that captures the dominant physical balances, such as the geostrophic or hydrostatic approximations.",
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/scale-analysis/"
}