Scribd
Upload
129 views10 pages

Geostrophic & Hydrostatic Balance Guide

The document discusses geostrophic and hydrostatic balance in meteorology. It explains that the dominant balance in the vertical component of the equations of motion is hydrostatic, with pressure balancing gravity. The dominant balance in the horizontal x-component is geostrophic, with the Coriolis force balancing pressure gradients. A non-dimensional Rossby number is used to quantify the relevance of geostrophic balance.

Uploaded by

Silvio Nunes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
129 views10 pages

Geostrophic & Hydrostatic Balance Guide

The document discusses geostrophic and hydrostatic balance in meteorology. It explains that the dominant balance in the vertical component of the equations of motion is hydrostatic, with pressure balancing gravity. The dominant balance in the horizontal x-component is geostrophic, with the Coriolis force balancing pressure gradients. A non-dimensional Rossby number is used to quantify the relevance of geostrophic balance.

Uploaded by

Silvio Nunes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

METEOROLOGY AND WIND RESOURCE

Geostrophic and Hydrostatic Balance


Zone pour les sous-titres
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
In local coordinates : x in the West-East direction,
y in the South-North direction,
z in the local vertical

y
z

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
Coriolis parameter :

For example, at 45°N :

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
Scaling of the equation for the vertical component :
(estimating the order of magnitude of each term)

Equation :

Order of
magnitude :

With

Order of
magnitude :

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
Scaling of the equation for the vertical component :
(estimating the order of magnitude of each term)

Equation :

To an excellent approximation,
the dominant balance is hydrostatic :
between gravity and the pressure force

Order of
magnitude :

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
Scaling of the equation for the x component :
(estimating the order of magnitude of each term)
Equation :

Order of
magnitude :

With

Order of
magnitude :

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
Scaling of the equation for the x component :
(estimating the order of magnitude of each term)
Equation :

To a good approximation,
the dominant balance is geostrophic :
between the ‘Coriolis force’ and pressure

Order of
magnitude :

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
A non-dimensional number to quantify the
relevance of geostrophic balance :

The Rossby number :

With the values used above :

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE
z
Wz
y

Low
Wind
High
Pressure force x
Coriolis force

Thumb rule (Northern Hemisphere) :

The wind leaves the high pressure on its right.

Zone pour les sous-titres


GEOSTROPHIC AND HYDROSTATIC BALANCE

Zone pour les sous-titres

You might also like