Richardson Number

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Richardson Number Ri</sub>)</strong> </dt>
A nondimensional number arising in the study of shearing flows of a stratified fluid:

N_Ri = gβ/(Missing Image:img src="SP7_r_files/partderiv.gif"u/Missing Image:img src="SP7_r_files/partderiv.gif"z)²

where g is the acceleration of gravity; β is a representative vertical stability (commonly Missing Image:img src="SP7_r_files/partderiv.gif"θ/θMissing Image:img src="SP7_r_files/partderiv.gif"z, where θ is potential temperature); and Missing Image:img src="SP7_r_files/partderiv.gif"u/Missing Image:img src="SP7_r_files/partderiv.gif"z a characteristic vertical shear. </dd>
In Richardson's original interpretation, the Richardson number is a characteristic ratio of work done against gravitational stability to energy transferred from mean to turbulent motion. Theoretical studies have placed the critical Richardson number variously from 1/4 to 2, with instability for smaller values and stability for greater. [[/a>|/a>]] </dd>

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use