adjective
- relating to or denoting a balance between the pressure gradient force and the Coriolis force in fluid motion, especially in atmospheric and oceanic flows
Usage: technical; meteorology and oceanography
Examples
- Geostrophic wind occurs when the pressure gradient force is balanced by the Coriolis effect.
- Ocean currents often move in a geostrophic direction, parallel to isobars.
- The geostrophic approximation is useful for modeling large-scale atmospheric circulation.
- At the equator, geostrophic balance breaks down because the Coriolis force becomes negligible.
- Meteorologists use geostrophic equations to predict wind patterns in weather systems.