The Standard Atmosphere

The Standard
Atmosphere
What ?
It is the mean value of Pressure, Temperature, density and
other properties tabulated as function of Altitude.
Values obtained through Experimental Balloon & Other methods.

Purpose
Provides tables of common reference conditions that can be used in
an organised fashion by aerospace engineers everywhere.
Two appex : SI Unit & English Engineering Unit.

The Standard
Atmosphere
Purpose of this Chapter
Study the rational behind these numbers i.e. How & Why ?
How these can be used ?

UNITS
Dimension/Values

English Engineering unit

SI unit

Time

second (sec)

second (s)

Length

foot (ft)

meter (m)

Mass

Slug
1 Slug = 32.2 pound mass (lbm)

kilogram (kg)

Force

pound force (lbF)

newton (N)

Temperature

degree Fahrenheit (F)

degree Celsius (C)

Absolute Temperature

degree Rankine (R)

kelvin (K)

Pressure

Lb/ft2

N/m2

Density,

Slugs/ft3

Kg/m3

R (for air)

1716 ft.lb/(slug)(0R)

Acceleration due to
Gravity, g

32.2 ft/s2

287 J/(kg)(K)
8.314 J/mol.K
9.8 m/s2

The Standard
Atmosphere
Several different Std Atmosphere exists.
Differences are insignificant below 30 Km
(1,00,000 Ft).
Commonly used is 1959 ARDC model
atmosphere.
ARDC - Air Research and Development
Command.
Now ARDC is known as Air Force Research Lab.

Geometric and Absolute Altitude

Geometric Altitude (hG)

Geometric height above sea lev

Absolute Altitude (ha)

Height Above centre of Earth.

h a = hG
+ r
r = radius of earth

Importance of Absolute Altitude

Local acceleration due to gravity g varies with h a .
Newtons Law of gravitation
At sea level g = g0 , ha = r
Therefore,
g 1/ha2 --------- 1
g0 1/r2
-------- 2
Dividing eq 1 by 2 we get,

Hydrostatic
Equation
Small
stationary
fluid
element

If the net upward pressure force on the slab is

equal to the downward force of gravity on the
slab, the atmosphere is said to be in hydrostatic
balance.

Hydrostatic
Equation

This
equation
is
called
Hydrostatic equation and it
applies to any fluid of density .

Geopotential
Altitude
This Hydrostatic equation is a differential equation.
To make it useful it needs to be integrated.
To simplify the integration it is assumed that g is
constant throughout the atmosphere & equal to g 0.

Geopotential altitude is a fictitious altitude that is

physically compatible with the assumption of g =
constant = g0

Relation between Geopotential &

Geometric Altitude
------------------

(1)

------------------

(2)

Dividing eq (1) by eq (2) we get,

But we know that,

Thus replacing value of
g we get

Relation between Geopotential &

Geometric Altitude

By convention at sea level both h and h G are equal to 0.

Thus integrating the above equation between sea level and
a given point we get,

For low altitudes,

Only at altitudes above 65 Km (213,000 ft) does the
difference exceeds 1 %.

Making of Table of Standard

Atmosphere
Experimental
Data

Temperature
Variation with
Altitude
Apply Laws of Physics

Pressure &
Density
Variation with
Altitude

Tabulate values of P, T &

against variation in altitude.

Temperature
distribution in the
Standard
Atmosphere

Layers of Atmosphere
Exosphere
Thermosphere
Mesopause
Mesosphere

Region of Interest
Conventional Aircraft

Stratopause

Below 15 Km
High Altitude Aircraft
Below 22 Km

Stratosphere
Tropopause
Troposphere

Pressure & Density

The amount of
force exerted
Over an area of
surface is called
Air pressure!

Air Density is
The number of air
Molecules in a given
Space (volume)

Layers of Atmosphere
S
No

1.

2.

Layer

Troposphere

Height

Characteristics

- T decreases linearly with height from 15

Till 8 Km at poles, 0
C at sea level to 216.66 K till tropopause.
11 Km at mid
- Contain 90 % of air mass.
latitude,
- The air is warmed by heat given off by
16 km at equator
the Earth.
- T remains constant at 216.66 K.
- Tropopause & Troposphere together
known as lower atmosphere.

Tropopause

11 Km to 20 km

Stratosphere

- T increases linearly till 282.66 K.

Above
troposphere to 51 - Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light from the
Km
Sun.

Stratopause 47 Km to 51 Km T remains constant at 282.66 K.

3.

4.

Mesosphere

Above
Stratosphere till
85 Km.

- T decreases rapidly till - 86.5 0C.

- Temperature decreases with height as
there is very little ozone to warm up the air.

Mesopause

At 85 Km

T remains constant at 86.50C.

Thermospher
e

Above
mesosphere till

- T increases rapidly & can go as high as

1727 0C.
- The oxygen absorbs light from the Sun,
and since there is very little air in the

Isothermal Region
As per Hydrostatic Equation

As per equation of state

Dividing Hydrostatic equation

with equation of state we get,

- T1, P1 & 1 are temperature, pressure and

density at base of isothermal layer at altitude h 1.
- - T, P & are temp, pressure & density at an altitude
of h.

Isothermal Region
Integrating the equation between altitude h1 and h we get,

--------------

(1)

From equation of state

Hence,

Thus,

--------------

(2)

Eq (1) and Eq (2) gives the variation of p and versus Geopotential altitude in
Isothermal Layer.

Gradient Layers
In gradient layer
Temperature
Variation is constant and can
be
Given by,

Here a is called lapse rate and is a constant . It is different for

different gradient layers. Hence,

Dividing Hydrostatic equation with equation of state we get,

Gradient Layers
Integrating the equation between base of gradient layer of altitude h 1 and some point at
altitude h we get,

------------------- (1)
Similarly from equation of state we have,

---------------------

(2)

---------------------

(3)

The Standard Atmosphere in SI

unit

The Standard Atmosphere in English

Engineering unit

Pressure, Temp & Density Altitude

Altitude corresponding to a given measured
pressure as per tables of standard
atmosphere is called Pressure Altitude.
e.g. A aeroplane flying at a certain altitude.
measures pressure = 3.99 X 104 N/m2
Pressure Altitude from table = ?

The Standard Atmosphere in SI

unit

Pressure, Temp & Density Altitude

Altitude corresponding to a given measured
pressure as per tables of standard
atmosphere is called Pressure Altitude.
e.g. A aeroplane flying at a certain altitude.
measures pressure = 3.99 X 104 N/m2
Pressure Altitude from table = ?

Pressure Altitude =
7200 m

Pressure, Temp & Density Altitude

Altitude corresponding to a given measured
Temperature or density as per tables of
standard atmosphere is called Temperature
or Density Altitude.

Pressure Altitude = 6000 m

Temperature Altitude = 5000 m
Density Altitude = 6240 m

Isothermal Layers
T=
Constant

Gradient Layers

Question - 1

T = Constant

Ans. P = 7.53 X 103 N/m2

= 0.121 Kg/m3
T = 216.66 K

Question - 2

Ans. Pressure Altitude =

10 Km
= 0.419 Kg/m3
Density Altitude =
9.88 Km

Question - 3

For Pressure altitude of 10,210.8m find the value of p

p = 2.566 x 104 N/m2

For density altitude of 9753.6m find the value of ?

= 0.4368 Kg/m3
T = 204.69 K

Question - 4

Ans. hG = 127
Km

Question - 5

h = 17.358 km

Question - 6

Hint.

We have (dp/dt), and need (dh/dt)

Think of a equation which relates dp and dh so that we can

divide it by dt.

Ans. (dh/dt) = 84.1

m/min

Question - 7

(dp/dt) = 5.386 (dh/dt)

Question - 8
Q. During a flight test for climb performance,
the following readings were observed at two
altitudes:
Record Number
1
2
Indicate altitude (m)
1,300
1,600
Ambient temperature (0C)
16

14

The altimeter is calibrated according to ISA.

Obtain the true difference of height between
the two indicated altitudes.