geostrophic

[ jee-uh-strof-ik, -stroh-fik ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the balance between the Coriolis force and the horizontal pressure force in the atmosphere.

geostrophic

/ ˌdʒiːəʊˈstrɒfɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or caused by the force produced by the rotation of the earth

   geostrophic wind

Word History and Origins

Origin of geostrophic¹

First recorded in 1915–20; geo- + strophic

Example Sentences

Theiss, J. Equatorward energy cascade, critical latitude, and the predominance of cyclonic vortices in geostrophic turbulence.

From Nature

Sayanagi, K. M., Showman, A. P. & Dowling, T. E. The emergence of multiple robust zonal jets from freely evolving, three-dimensional stratified geostrophic turbulence with applications to Jupiter.

From Nature

Nikurashin, M. & Ferrari, R. Radiation and dissipation of internal waves generated by geostrophic motions impinging on small-scale topography: theory.

From Nature

The geostrophic jolt, statesmen grimly reveal, has knocked the earth 11� off its axis and, what is in finitely worse, has steeply deflected its orbit.

From Time Magazine Archive