Difference between revisions of "Isothermal atmosphere"
From Glossary of Meteorology
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| − | <div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">(''Also called'' exponential atmosphere.) An idealized [[atmosphere]] in [[hydrostatic equilibrium]] in which the [[temperature]] is constant with height and in which, therefore, the [[pressure]] decreases exponentially upward.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">In such an atmosphere the [[thickness]] between any two heights is given by <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-Ie18.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-Ie18]]</blockquote></div> where ''R''<sub>''d''</sub> is the [[gas constant]] for [[dry air]], ''T''<sub>''v''</sub> the [[virtual temperature]] (°K), ''g'' the [[acceleration of gravity]], and ''P''<sub>''A''</sub> and ''P''<sub>''B''</sub> the pressures at the heights ''z''<sub>''A''</sub> and ''z''<sub>''B''</sub>, respectively. In the isothermal atmosphere there is no finite height at which the pressure vanishes.</div><br/> </div> | + | <div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">(''Also called'' exponential atmosphere.) An idealized [[atmosphere]] in [[hydrostatic equilibrium|hydrostatic equilibrium]] in which the [[temperature]] is constant with height and in which, therefore, the [[pressure]] decreases exponentially upward.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">In such an atmosphere the [[thickness]] between any two heights is given by <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-Ie18.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-Ie18]]</blockquote></div> where ''R''<sub>''d''</sub> is the [[gas constant]] for [[dry air]], ''T''<sub>''v''</sub> the [[virtual temperature]] (°K), ''g'' the [[acceleration of gravity|acceleration of gravity]], and ''P''<sub>''A''</sub> and ''P''<sub>''B''</sub> the pressures at the heights ''z''<sub>''A''</sub> and ''z''<sub>''B''</sub>, respectively. In the isothermal atmosphere there is no finite height at which the pressure vanishes.</div><br/> </div> |
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Latest revision as of 17:16, 25 April 2012
isothermal atmosphere
(Also called exponential atmosphere.) An idealized atmosphere in hydrostatic equilibrium in which the temperature is constant with height and in which, therefore, the pressure decreases exponentially upward.
In such an atmosphere the thickness between any two heights is given by where Rd is the gas constant for dry air, Tv the virtual temperature (°K), g the acceleration of gravity, and PA and PB the pressures at the heights zA and zB, respectively. In the isothermal atmosphere there is no finite height at which the pressure vanishes.
