StandardAtmosphereData
✖
StandardAtmosphereData
returns the value of the property at the specified geometrical altitude for the chosen model of the standard Earth atmosphere.
returns a piecewise symbolic approximation with the range of an atmospheric layer for the property.
returns the full piecewise symbolic approximation for the property.
Details and Options


- StandardAtmosphereData["Properties"] gives a list of all properties available.
- Properties are returned using Quantity where appropriate.
- Properties include:
-
"CollisionFrequency" frequency of collisions between atmospheric particles "Density" standard density of atmosphere "DynamicViscosity" dynamic viscosity of atmosphere "GravityAcceleration" acceleration due to gravity "KinematicViscosity" kinematic viscosity of atmosphere "MeanFreePath" average distance traveled by an atmospheric particle between collisions "MeanMolecularWeight" average molecular weight of atmospheric particles "MeanParticleSpeed" average atmospheric particle speed "NumberDensity" density of atmospheric particles "Pressure" average pressure of atmosphere "PressureScaleHeight" distance over which pressure decreased by a factor of E "SoundSpeed" speed of sound "Temperature" standard temperature of atmosphere "ThermalConductivityCoefficient" thermal conductivity coefficient - StandardAtmosphereData["Layers"] gives a list of all atmospheric layers available.
- StandardAtmosphereData["SymbolicApproximation",property] returns a Function with a piecewise symbolic approximation for the property values over its range of validity in an atmospheric model.
- Returned piecewise functions only accept units of length as input.
- StandardAtmosphereData[layer,property] is equivalent to applying Refine to StandardAtmosphereData["SymbolicApproximation",property] for the range of the atmospheric layer.
- The option Method can be given to specify the atmospheric model to use.
- The following settings can be used:
-
"InternationalStandardAtmosphere" 1964 International Standard Atmosphere model "Jacchia" 1977 Jacchia Atmosphere model for exospheric temperature at 1000 K "USStandardAtmosphere" 1976 United States Standard Atmosphere model - The default setting for Method is "USStandardAtmosphere".
- Not all properties are fully available for all models.
Examples
open allclose allBasic Examples (1)Summary of the most common use cases
Scope (5)Survey of the scope of standard use cases

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-tmnsei

Find the mean free path at a particular altitude:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wnlyml

Get the symbolic approximation for a property:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-v9qpe5

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-swxyxc

Get a list of all available atmospheric layers:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-o2leo

Find the symbolic approximation for a property within a particular layer:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-rf95dw

Examine how the mean free path varies with the dynamic viscosity:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-taogar

Options (2)Common values & functionality for each option
Method (2)
Substitute other atmospheric models:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-hvnusc


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wbh5up

Examine the differences between the US and International Standard Atmosphere temperatures:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wx4ge

Applications (3)Sample problems that can be solved with this function
Find the density of air at the Kármán line, the boundary between the atmosphere and outer space:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-j8e85a

Calculate the mass of air beneath the Kármán line:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-svjy95

Examine the rate of temperature change as a function of altitude:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-qp786s

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-jzmqb5


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-rdag8p

Use the derivative to verify the rule of thumb for the lapse rate, that temperature drops 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit every 1000 feet:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-v5xsep


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-z2y9dl


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-742nm6


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-0t0vel

Examine how the number density relates to mean particle speed through the atmosphere:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-etbw7x

Properties & Relations (3)Properties of the function, and connections to other functions
StandardAtmosphereData uses different models from the equations of ThermodynamicData:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-yli2ia


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-hyl5fp


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-lgsckj


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-mjp4bu

Create more refined symbolic expressions with Refine:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-17uhut

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-oi96ah

Use UnitConvert to convert values to different units and unit systems:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-098jxf

Possible Issues (5)Common pitfalls and unexpected behavior
Altitude should be a unit of length:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-w5ghgp






Properties are only supported within a limited range of altitudes:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-y82lca



https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-k8nsfz


Not all properties are available for all models:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-umgwvh


Supported altitude ranges may vary between models:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-dnyws2


Only inputs that are in units of length are acceptable inputs to the symbolic codes:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-itrdgu



https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-vot0sp

Neat Examples (2)Surprising or curious use cases
Discover how the barometric pressure formula diverges from the US Standard Atmosphere model:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-dfsu48

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-hg9wl4

Examine the motion of a falling bowling ball from 30000 feet based on air density and the acceleration of gravity:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-1wg7ez
Find the characteristics of a bowling ball:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-51r78i


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wf7gg5


https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-705cct
Solve differential equations for the motion of a falling object under the effects of drag:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-8b26c8

Also look at the case without drag:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-epy0kt

Compare the different sorts of motion:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-vha74u

Examine the velocities of the bowling ball with and without air resistance:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-r8i4d3

Compare speed with drag with the speed of sound at that altitude:

https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-ddolds

Wolfram Research (2014), StandardAtmosphereData, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html.
Text
Wolfram Research (2014), StandardAtmosphereData, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html.
Wolfram Research (2014), StandardAtmosphereData, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2014. "StandardAtmosphereData." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html.
Wolfram Language. 2014. "StandardAtmosphereData." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2014). StandardAtmosphereData. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html
Wolfram Language. (2014). StandardAtmosphereData. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_standardatmospheredata, author="Wolfram Research", title="{StandardAtmosphereData}", year="2014", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html}", note=[Accessed: 09-July-2025
]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_standardatmospheredata, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={StandardAtmosphereData}, year={2014}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StandardAtmosphereData.html}, note=[Accessed: 09-July-2025
]}