vorticity

1. (mathematics, fluid dynamics) A property of a fluid flow related to local angular rotation; defined as the curl of the flow's velocity field.Examples: "It might sound puzzling that the ageostrophic geopotential (or the ageostrophic pressure in z-coordinate) has no impact on the evolution of the vorticity of a quasi-geostrophic disturbance and yet it affects the perturbation kinetic energetics (not globally but locally)."; "This results from the vorticity component of shear, whereas elongated cells would further be affected by the rate of strain component."; "An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex. The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain, as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes."countableuncountable