horizontal pressure force

horizontal pressure force

[‚här·ə′zänt·əl ′presh·ər ‚fȯrs] (geophysics) The horizontal pressure gradient per unit mass, -α∇H p, where α is the specific volume, p the pressure, and ∇H the horizontal component of the del operator; this force acts normal to the horizontal isobars toward lower pressure; it is one of the three important forces appearing in the horizontal equations of motion, the others being the Coriolis force and friction.