WOLFRAM

Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center
Wolfram Language Home Page »

StandardAtmosphereData
✖
StandardAtmosphereData

✖
StandardAtmosphereData[altitude,property]

returns the value of the property at the specified geometrical altitude for the chosen model of the standard Earth atmosphere.

✖
StandardAtmosphereData[layer,property]

returns a piecewise symbolic approximation with the range of an atmospheric layer for the property.

✖
StandardAtmosphereData["SymbolicApproximation",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 all

Basic Examples  (1)Summary of the most common use cases

Find the standard air pressure at 30000 feet:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-rb2w1j
Out[1]=1

Examine how temperature scales with altitude:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-iwio0o
Out[2]=2

Scope  (5)Survey of the scope of standard use cases

Obtain a list of properties:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-tmnsei
Out[1]=1

Find the mean free path at a particular altitude:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wnlyml
Out[1]=1

Get the symbolic approximation for a property:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-v9qpe5
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-swxyxc
Out[2]=2

Get a list of all available atmospheric layers:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-o2leo
Out[1]=1

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

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-rf95dw
Out[2]=2

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-taogar
Out[1]=1

Options  (2)Common values & functionality for each option

Method  (2)

Substitute other atmospheric models:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-hvnusc
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wbh5up
Out[2]=2

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wx4ge
Out[1]=1

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:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-j8e85a
Out[1]=1

Calculate the mass of air beneath the Kármán line:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-svjy95
Out[2]=2

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-qp786s
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-jzmqb5
Out[2]=2
In[3]:=3
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-rdag8p
Out[3]=3

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

In[4]:=4
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-v5xsep
Out[4]=4
In[5]:=5
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-z2y9dl
Out[5]=5
In[6]:=6
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-742nm6
Out[6]=6
In[7]:=7
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-0t0vel
Out[7]=7

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-etbw7x
Out[1]=1

Properties & Relations  (3)Properties of the function, and connections to other functions

StandardAtmosphereData uses different models from the equations of ThermodynamicData:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-yli2ia
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-hyl5fp
Out[2]=2
In[3]:=3
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-lgsckj
Out[3]=3
In[4]:=4
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-mjp4bu
Out[4]=4

Create more refined symbolic expressions with Refine:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-17uhut
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-oi96ah
Out[2]=2

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-098jxf
Out[1]=1

Possible Issues  (5)Common pitfalls and unexpected behavior

Altitude should be a unit of length:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-w5ghgp
Out[1]=1

Properties are only supported within a limited range of altitudes:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-y82lca
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-k8nsfz
Out[2]=2

Not all properties are available for all models:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-umgwvh
Out[1]=1

Supported altitude ranges may vary between models:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-dnyws2
Out[1]=1

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-itrdgu
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-vot0sp
Out[2]=2

Neat Examples  (2)Surprising or curious use cases

Discover how the barometric pressure formula diverges from the US Standard Atmosphere model:

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-dfsu48
In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-hg9wl4
Out[2]=2

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

In[1]:=1
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-1wg7ez

Find the characteristics of a bowling ball:

In[2]:=2
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-51r78i
Out[2]=2
In[3]:=3
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-wf7gg5
Out[3]=3

Set initial conditions:

In[4]:=4
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-705cct

Solve differential equations for the motion of a falling object under the effects of drag:

In[5]:=5
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-8b26c8
Out[5]=5

Also look at the case without drag:

In[6]:=6
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-epy0kt
Out[6]=6

Compare the different sorts of motion:

In[7]:=7
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-vha74u
Out[7]=7

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

In[8]:=8
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-r8i4d3
Out[8]=8

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

In[9]:=9
✖
https://wolfram.com/xid/0vuvoplkzsa9o0x0bb2-ddolds
Out[9]=9
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.

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 ]}

✖
@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 ]}

✖
@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 ]}