In geophysical fluid dynamics

Fluid dynamics

In physics, fluid dynamics is a sub-discipline of fluid mechanics that deals with fluid flow—the natural science of fluids in motion. It has several subdisciplines itself, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics...

, the f-plane approximation is an approximation where the Coriolis parameter, f, is set to a constant value.

This is frequently used for the analysis of highly idealized tropical cyclones. Using a constant Coriolis parameter prevents the formation of beta gyres which are largely responsible for the North-westward direction of most tropical cyclones.