Geostrophic Wind Level

This definition page has been automatically generated. You can help ExoDictionary by expanding, updating, or correcting it.

This autostub has not yet had its initial copyediting proof and may contain significant formatting and even factual errors. You can improve Exodictionary by cleaning up the page markup and verifying that the definition is correct and then removing this tag.

This autostub has not yet had its initial categorization proof and may be categorized incorrectly. You can improve Exodictionary by removing inappropriate categories and then removing this tag.

Geostrophic Wind Level

</dt>
The lowest level at which the wind becomes geostrophic

in the theory of the Ekman spiral, proportional to Missing Image:img src="SP7-g_files/geostw.gif" alt="geostrophic wind equation" align="middle" where v is the kinematic eddy viscosity and Missing Image:img src="SP7-g_files/geostw2.gif" alt="lowercase italic rho" align="middle" the latitude. Also called gradient wind

level. </dd>
In practice it is observed that the geostrophic wind level is between 1.2 and 1.6 kilometers, and it is assumed that this marks the upper limit of frictional influence of the earth's surface. The geostrophic wind level may be considered to be the top of the Ekman layer and planetary boundary layer, i.e., the base of the free atmosphere. [[/a>|/a> ]]

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use