Variable-mass system events. The following derivation is for a body that is gaining mass (accretion). A body of time-varying mass "m" moves at a velocity v at an initial time "t". In the same instant, a particle of mass dm moves with velocity u. The initial momentum can be written as Now at a time "t" + d"t", let both the main body and the particle accrete into a body of velocity v + dv. Thus the new momentum of the system can be written as Since d"m"dv is the product of two small values, it can be ignored, meaning during d"t"
Ekman velocity used here, interpolated to 1°X1°grid, spanning the domain of 25°N-25°S,90°E-290°E, during Oct1992-Sep1998). Geostrophic and Ekman velocity are assumed to satisfy the lowest-order dynamics of the surface velocity, and they can be obtained independently from surface height and wind stress data. Standard "f" plan satisfies geostrophic balance, the lowest-order balance for quasi-steady circulation at higher latitudes. However, coriolis parameter "f" is close to zero near the equator, the geostropic balance is not satisfied as the velocity is proportional to the height gradient divided by the coriolis parameter "f". It has been shown in many studies that beta plane geostrophic approximation involving