Atmosculator
Atmosculator is a freeware Mac OS X application that calculates key properties of the Earth's atmosphere as a function of altitude using the 1976 Standard Atmosphere Model. It can be used to determine the pressure, temperature, density, viscosity and other parameters up to an altitude of 278,385 feet (84.852 km). The 1976 model is the latest of a number of versions developed jointly by NOAA, NASA and the USAF. The complete model includes properties at even higher altitudes, but these regions are more complex and are not included here.
- Trusted Windows (PC) download ATM Viewer 2.1. Virus-free and 100% clean download. Get ATM Viewer alternative downloads.
- Yes, there are many ICAO standards. We are talking about only one, the 'standard atmosphere' standard, as described in ICAO, Manual of the ICAO Standard Atmosphere (extended to 80 kilometres (262 500 feet)), Doc 7488-CD, Third Edition, 1993, ISBN 92-9194-004-6.
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Atmosculator also provides the option of calculating properties under non-standard conditions - i.e. when the temperature differs from that of the standard model.
Although the values provided by Atmosculator have been carefully checked against the original U.S. Government source, their accuracy cannot be guaranteed, so please use this tool at your own risk.
If the above link does not work, try: U.S. Standard Atmosphere 1976 which can be found by searching NASA Technical Reports Server. This link might be useful: U.S. Standard Atmosphere 1976.
Atmosculator includes extensive Help on the basis of the model and a mathematical derivation showing how the properties are calculated. For your online convenience, this description of the Standard Atmosphere Model is reproduced here.
The Standard Atmosphere
Introduction
The 'Standard Atmosphere' is a hypothetical vertical distribution of atmospheric properties which, by international agreement, is roughly representative of year-round, mid-latitude conditions. Typical usages include altimeter calibrations and aircraft design and performance calculations. It should be recognized that actual conditions may vary considerably from this standard.
The most recent definition is the 'US Standard Atmosphere, 1976' developed jointly by NOAA, NASA, and the USAF. It is an idealized, steady state representation of the earth's atmosphere from the surface to 1000 km, as it is assumed to exist during a period of moderate solar activity. The 1976 model is identical with the earlier 1962 standard up to 51 km, and with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard up to 32 km.
Up to 86 km, the model assumes a constant mean molecular weight, and comprises of a series of six layers, each defined by a linear temperature gradient (lapse rate). (The assumption of linearity conveniently avoids the need for numerical integration in the computation of properties.) The bottom layer, with a negative lapse rate, represents the earth's troposphere, a region where most clouds form, and with generally turbulent conditions. Macbook air os x mavericks download by ethernet taking long time. Higher layers form part of the earth's stratosphere, where winds may be high, but turbulence is generally low.
The model is derived by assuming a constant value for g (gravitational acceleration). Strictly speaking, altitudes in this model should therefore be referred to as 'geopotential altitudes' rather than 'geometric altitudes' (physical height above mean sea level). The relationship between these altitudes is given by:
hgeometric = hgeopotential x Rearth / (Rearth - hgeopotential)
where Rearth is the earth's effective radius. The difference is small, with geometric altitude and geopotential altitude differing from by less than 0.5% at 30 km (~100,000 ft).
The standard is defined in terms of the International System of Units (SI). The air is assumed to be dry and to obey the perfect gas law and hydrostatic equation, which, taken together, relate temperature, pressure and density with geopotential altitude.
It should also be noted that since the standard atmosphere model does not include humidity, and since water has a lower molecular weight than air, its presence produces a lower density. Under extreme circumstances, this can amount to as much as a 3% reduction, but typically is less than 1% and may be neglected.
Symbols
The following symbols are used to define the relationships between variables in the model. Subscript n indicates conditions at the base of the nth layer (or at the top of the (n-1)th layer) or refers to the constant lapse rate in the nth layer The first layer is considered to be layer 0, hence subscript 0 indicates standard, sea level conditions, or lapse rate in the bottom layer.
h = Pressure/Geopotential Altitude
T = Temperature
p = Pressure
ρ = Density
θ = T/T0 (Temperature Ratio)
δ = p/p0 (Pressure Ratio)
σ = ρ/ρ0 (Density Ratio)
μ = Dynamic Viscosity
ν = μ/ρ = Kinematic Viscosity
Constants Used in Model
(Note: = indicates an exact value; ≅ indicates an approximate value correct to 6 significant figures)
Fundamental Constants: Adobe audition free mac download.
Absolute Zero = -273.15°C (= -459.67°F)Earth:
Rearth = 6356.766 km (≈ 3950 statute miles)Gas Properties:
g0 = 9.80665 m/sec2 (≅ 32.1740 ft/sec2) (≅ gravitational acceleration at 45° latitude)
R* = 8.31432 J/mole·K (universal gas constant)Viscosity (empirical constants):
M = 0.0289644 kg/mole (mean molecular mass of air)
R = R*/M ≅ 287.053 J/kg·K (≅ 1716.56 ft2/sec2·R) (gas constant for air)
γ= 1.40 (ratio of specific heat capacities of air, cp/cv)
S = 110.4 K (Sutherland constant)
β = 1.458 x 10-6 kg/s·m·R1/2
T0 = 15.0°C (= 59.0°F)Hence:
p0 = 101,325 N/m2 (= 760mm Hg, ≅ 2116.22 lbs/ft2)
ρ0 ≅ 1.22500 kg/m3 (≅ 0.00237689 slugs/ft3)Definition of Layers in Model:
μ0 ≅ 1.78938 x 10-5 kg/m·sec (≅ 3.73720 x 10-7 slugs/ft·sec)
ν0 ≅ 1.46072 x 10-5 m2/sec (≅ 1.57231 x 10-4 ft2/sec)
Base Geopotential Altitude, hn (km) | Base Geopotential Altitude, hn (ft) | Type |
0 | -6.5 | |
11 | 0 | |
2 | 65,616.8 | Inversion |
32 | +2.8 | |
4 | 154,199.5 | Isothermal |
51 | -2.8 | |
71 | -2.0 | |
84.8520 | - |
A positive lapse rate (λ > 0) means temperature increases with height. The temperature at the base of layer n is given by:
Tn = Tn-1 + (hn - hn-1)λn-1
or:
&thetan/&thetan-1 = 1 + (hn - hn-1)λn-1/Tn-1
Physical Laws Used in Model
Ideal gas law:
p = ρRT
and hence: σ = δ / θ
Hydrostatic equilibrium:
dp/dh = -gρ
In this model, viscosity is a function of temperature only, given by the following empirical relationship, valid at all altitudes:
μ = β·T3/2 / (T+S)
Derivation of Model Equations
Combining the gas law and hydrostatic equations:
dp/p = (-g/R) dh/T
For the case of a constant lapse rate, λ
T = Tn + (h-hn)λn
and
dT/dh = λn
Substituting:
∫ dp/p = -g/(λnR) ∫ dT/T
Integrating:
loge(p/pn) = loge(T/Tn)-g/λnR
or
p/pn = (1 + (h-hn)λn/Tn)-g/λnR
For isothermal layers (λ=0), and using the approximation loge(1+ε)→ε as ε→0, this becomes:
p/pn = e-(h-hn)g/RTn
These solutions lead to the following model equations:
h ≤ h1θ = 1 + hλ0/T0h1 < h ≤ h2 (Isothermal)
δ = θ (-g/λ0R)
σ= (1 + hλ0/T0) (-g/λ0R)-1
hence:θ1 = 1 + h1λ0/T0
δ1 = θ1(-g/λ0R)
θ = θ1h2 < h ≤ h3 (Inversion)
δ = δ1 e-(h-h1)g/RT1
σ= (δ1/θ1) e-(h-h1)g/RT1
hence:θ2 = θ1
δ2 = δ1 e-(h2-h1)g/RT1
θ = θ2 + (h-h2)λ2/T0h3 < h ≤ h4 (Inversion)
δ = δ2 (θ/θ2)(-g/λ2R)
σ= δ2 (θ2 + (h-h2)λ2/T0) (-g/λ2R)-1 (1/θ2)(-g/λ2R)
hence:θ3 = θ2 + (h3-h2)λ2/T0
δ3 = δ2 (θ3/θ2)(-g/λ2R)
θ = θ3 + (h-h3)λ3/T0h4 < h ≤ h5 (Isothermal)
δ = δ3 (θ/θ3)(-g/λ3R)
σ= δ3 (θ3 + (h-h3)λ3/T0) (-g/λ3R)-1 (1/θ3)(-g/λ3R)
hence:θ4 = θ3 + (h4-h3)λ3/T0
δ4 = δ3 (θ4/θ3)(-g/λ3R)
θ = θ4h5 < h ≤ h6
δ = δ4 e-(h-h4)g/RT4
σ= (δ4/θ4) e-(h-h4)g/RT4
hence:θ5 = θ4
δ5 = δ4 e-(h5-h4)g/RT4
θ = θ5 + (h-h5)λ5/T0h6 < h ≤ h7
δ = δ5 (θ/θ5)(-g/λ5R)
σ= δ5 (θ5 + (h-h5)λ5/T0) (-g/λ5R)-1 (1/θ5)(-g/λ5R)
hence:θ6 = θ5 + (h6-h5)λ5/T0
δ6 = δ5 (θ6/θ5)(-g/λ5R)
θ = θ6 + (h-h6)λ6/T0
δ = δ6 (θ/θ6)(-g/λ6R)
σ= δ6 (θ6 + (h-h6)λ6/T0) (-g/λ6R)-1 (1/θ6)(-g/λ6R)
hence:θ7 = θ6 + (h7-h6)λ6/T0
δ7 = δ6 (θ7/θ6)(-g/λ6R)
Numerical Solutions
(where h is in feet)
θn | σn = δn / θn |
1 | 1 |
0.751865 | 2.97076E-01 |
0.751865 | 7.18652E-02 |
0.793510 | 1.07959E-02 |
0.939268 | 1.16533E-03 |
0.939268 | 7.03351E-04 |
0.744925 | 5.24172E-05 |
0.648780 | 5.67991E-06 |
h ≤ 36,089
θ = 1 - h / 145,44236,089 < h ≤ 65,617 (Isothermal)
δ = (1 - h / 145,442)5.255876
σ = (1 - h / 145,442)4.255876
θ = 0.75186565,617 < h ≤ 104,987 (Inversion)
δ = 0.223361 e-(h-36,089)/20,806
σ = 0.297076 e-(h-36,089)/20,806
θ = 0.682457 + h / 945,374104,987< h ≤ 154,199 (Inversion)
δ = (0.988626 + h / 652,600)-34.16320
σ = (0.978261 + h / 659,515)-35.16320
θ = 0.482561 + h / 337,634154,199 < h ≤ 167,323 (Isothermal)
δ = (0.898309 + h / 181,373)-12.20114
σ = (0.857003 + h / 190,115)-13.20114
Atmos Calculator
θ = 0.939268167,323 < h ≤ 232,940 (see ERRATA)
δ = 0.00109456 e-(h-154,199)/25,992
σ = 0.00116533 e-(h-154,199)/25,992
θ = 1.434843 - h / 337,634232,940 < h ≤ 278,386 (see ERRATA)
δ = (0.838263 - h / 577,922)+12.20114
σ = (0.798990 - h / 606,330)+11.20114
Atoms Calculator
θ = 1.237723 - h / 472,687
δ = (0.917131 - h / 637,919)+17.08160
σ = (0.900194 - h / 649,922)+16.08160
Non-Standard Conditions
When actual conditions vary from those given by the standard atmosphere model, the expressions given above, do not apply. Two definitions need to be introduced at this point:
- Pressure altitude: the altitude in a standard atmosphere corresponding to a given pressure. (Since an altimeter is a barometer calibrated according to the standard atmosphere model, it reads pressure altitude when set to standard sea level conditions of 29.92' Hg). Note: pressure altitude is independent of temperature.
- Density altitude: pressure altitude corrected for actual temperature, or the altitude in a standard atmosphere corresponding to a given density. (Since density altitude represents air density, it is more relevant to aircraft performance than pressure altitude).
The pressure altitude is calculated by inverting the appropriate expression for pressure ratio, δ. Density altitude is calculated by inverting the appropriate expression for σ as a function of geopotential, h. Thus, for non-standard temperatures, the density altitude, hd, is given by:
σ ≥ σ1hd = (σ-1/(g/λ0R+1) - 1) T0/λ0σ 1 > σ ≥ σ2 (Isothermal)
hd = (-RT1/g) loge(σθ1/δ1) + h1σ 2 > σ ≥ σ3 (Inversion)
hd = ( (σ/δ2) θ2(-g/λ2R) )-1/(g/λ2R+1) - θ2) T0/λ2 + h2σ 3 > σ ≥ σ4 (Inversion)
hd = ( (σ/δ3) θ3(-g/λ3R) )-1/(g/λ3R+1) - θ3) T0/λ3 + h3σ 4 > σ ≥ σ5 (Isothermal)
hd = (-RT4/g) loge(σθ4/δ4) + h4σ 5 > σ ≥ σ6
hd = ( (σ/δ5) θ5(-g/λ5R) )-1/(g/λ5R+1) - θ5) T0/λ5 + h5σ 6 > σ ≥ σ7
hd = ( (σ/δ6) θ6(-g/λ6R) )-1/(g/λ6R+1) - θ6) T0/λ6 + h6
ERRATA
1) The sign used in front of the h in the numerical solutions below should have been - not + for the altitude ranges:
167,323 < h ≤ 232,940
and
232,940 < h ≤ 278,386
These were corrected on 4/24/2009.
Many thanks to R. Wayne Wilson of Texas for pointing this out.
Fortunately these were documentation errors only; the Atmosculator code has always used the correct signs.
2) Under Gas Properties, the equation for the Specific Gas Constant in terms of the Universal Gas Constant should read:
R = R*/M and not R = R*·M
This was corrected on 3/26/2011.
Many thanks to Quentin Minster for pointing this out.
This was only a typo in the presentation of the formula, and did not result in an error in any numerical values.
Page last updated on March 26, 2011
Copyright © 1991-2011, Graham Gyatt. All Rights Reserved.