Measurements of Atmospheric Density at Kwajalein Atoll, 18 May 1977
Document ID: 49
Philbrick, C. Russell
Faire, A. C.
Fryklund, D. H.
AIR FORCE GEOPHYSICS LABORATORY HANSCOM AFB, MASSACHUSETTS 01731
AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND, USAF
Abstract
A triaxial piezoelectric accelerometer has been used to measure atmospheric drag acceleration on a falling sphere to determined atmospheric density. The technique allows determination of atmospheric density between 50 and 150 km, with an accuracy better than 5 percent and with an altitude resolution of about 200 m. Comparisons have been made with radar determined drag acceleration measurements, with rocketsonde measurements, and with passive Robin sphere density measurements during the same period.