HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, 30 TO 90 KILOMETERS. AIR FORCE SURVEYS IN GEOPHYSICS.

• Main Author: Kantor, Arthur J.
• Other Authors: AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABS L G HANSCOM FIELD MASS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1966
• Subjects: Atmospheric Physics; (*STRATOSPHERE; *BAROMETRIC PRESSURE); PERIODIC VARIATIONS; TEMPERATURE; DIURNAL VARIATIONS; DISTRIBUTION; Arctic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0635926; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0635926

The distribution with latitude of atmospheric pressure is such that mean monthly pressures generally increase toward the Equator in winter and toward the Pole in summer. The mean maximum January gradient lies between 60 and 40 degrees N, where the pressure changes by roughly one percent of standard per degree of latitude. The height of smallest change is near 85 km. The largest January and July departures from standard occur near 65 km in the arctic where the minimum January value is 65 percent of standard and the maximum in July is 130 percent of standard. A pressure increase near 60 km of more than seven percent per degree of latitude can result from coexistence of cold and warm winter stratospheric thermal regimes within 600 miles over arctic regions. An extreme vertical pressure gradient of 23 percent decrease per km may exist near 85 km for the coldest observed temperature, 130 degree K, at this level. Day-to-day variability of pressure increase with the latitude and altitude to near 65 km. Estimated 2 standard deviations near 65 km reach plus or minus 35 percent during 60 degrees N winter. Theoretical diurnal pressure variations increase with height above 30 km to at least 80 km. (Author)