geostrophic motion

geostrophic motion, fluid flow in a direction parallel to lines of equal pressure (isobars) in a rotating system, such as the Earth. Such flow is produced by the balance of the Coriolis force (caused by the Earth’s rotation) and the pressure-gradient force. The velocity of the flow is proportional to the gradient of the pressure and inversely proportional to latitude. Although observed fluid motions are not strictly geostrophic, large-scale oceanic and atmospheric movements approach the ideal; that is, the geostrophic current usually represents the actual current within about 10 percent, provided the comparison is made over large areas and there is little curvature in the isobars.

On a nonrotating Earth, the pressure-gradient force would cause the wind to blow directly from a region of high to one of low pressure, across isobars. Because the Earth does rotate, however, the Coriolis force deflects the wind toward parallelism with the isobars. The Coriolis force deflects the wind to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Near the surface, friction between the air and the surface causes the wind to blow at less than a right angle to the pressure gradient. Near the Equator, where the Coriolis force is weak (because it is a function of latitude), the wind generally blows toward low pressure. The geostrophic-wind concept is useful in weather forecasting because it facilitates the mapping of wind streamlines in regions where wind observations are sparse, and of isobars where pressure data are scanty. See also gradient wind.