hydrostatic balance

meteorology

Learn about this topic in these articles:

In climate: Characteristics
The atmosphere is mainly in hydrostatic balance, or equilibrium, between the upward-directed pressure gradient force and the downward-directed force of gravity. This circumstance is expressed in the following relationship: ∂p/∂z = –ρg (1) where ∂p/∂z is the partial derivative of p with respect to z, p is the pressure, z…
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In climate: Relationships to surface features
…maintain the approximate geostrophic and hydrostatic balance, which are necessary for quasigeostrophic equilibrium. Air converges at the surface underneath the rising current of air to compensate for the upward loss of mass and diverges at the surface underneath a sinking current of air to compensate for the downward gain of…
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