Vortex patterns in quasi-two-dimensional flows of a viscous rotating fluid

A modified von Kármán problem that describes steady vortex flow in a rotating thin viscous fluid layer is solved. An analysis of the effect of bottom friction on the behavior of cyclonic and anticyclonic vortices at arbitrary values of the Rossby number is presented. Several anticyclonic flow patterns are examined. An approximate analytical solution obtained for steady flows is compared with numerical computations of a time-dependent problem. Experimental results on cyclonic and anticyclonic vortices in multiple-vortex quasi-turbulent flow are presented, and their interpretation based on the solution of the model problem is given.