Geopotential

From Glossary of Meteorology



geopotential

The potential energy of a unit mass relative to sea level, numerically equal to the work that would be done in lifting the unit mass from sea level to the height at which the mass is located; commonly expressed in terms of dynamic height or geopotential height.

The geopotential Φ at height z is given mathematically by the expression
ams2001glos-Ge16
where g is the acceleration of gravity.


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