An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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Meteo.: The wind component deviating from the → geostrophic wind in the absence of the → geostrophic balance. In other words, ageostrophic wind is the difference between the true wind and the geostrophic wind.

From negation prefix → a- + → geostrophic; → wind.

Of or pertaining to the force produced by the rotation of the Earth.

From Gk. → geo- + Gk. strophe "a turning," from strephein "to turn," from PIE *strebh- "to wind, turn" + → -ic.

From zamin-, → geo-, + carxeši, → rotational.

Meteo.: The balance between the → Coriolis force and the → pressure gradient force. See also → geostrophic flow.

→ geostrophic; → balance.

Oceanography: A flow resulting from → geostrophic balance. In geostrophic flow water moves along the lines of constant pressure or → isobars. Geostrophic flow is characterized by small → Rossby and → Ekman numbers.

→ geostrophic; → flow.

Meteo.: A wind which is balanced by the → Coriolis effect and → pressure gradient force. An air parcel initially at rest will move from high pressure to low pressure because of the pressure gradient force. However, the air parcel in its movement is deflected by the Coriolis force, to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left on the southern hemisphere. As the wind gains speed, the deflection increases until the Coriolis force equals the pressure gradient force. At this point, the wind will be blowing parallel to the → isobars.

→ geostrophic; → wind.