Rossby waves

Rossby waves are curves in the wind pattern in the upper atmosphere in the mid latitudes. The same mechanism creates very large scale waves in the ocean. The key factor in instigating and maintaining them is the variation in Coriolis force over latitude. Understanding them is key to Earth weather prediction and they also serve as a good model for wind patterns found on other planets. Such waves have also been considered as possible triggers for some types of planet formation within protoplanetary disks.