Skip to content

Air Density Model(s)

density

Air density models

Currently only contains NRL MSISE-00 air density model

nrlmsise(*args, **kwargs)

nrlmsise(itrf: satkit.itrfcoord, time: satkit.time | None) -> tuple[float, float]
nrlmsise(altitude_meters: float, latitude_rad: float, longitude_rad: float, time: satkit.time | None) -> tuple[float, float]

NRL MSISE-00 Atmosphere Density Model

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NRLMSISE-00

or for more detail: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2002JA009430

Args:

itrf (satkit.itrfcoord):  position at which to compute density & temperature
time (satkit.time|numpy.ndarray|list):  Optional instant(s) at which to compute density & temperature.
       "Space weather" data at this time will be used in model
       computation.  Note: at satellite altitudes, density can
       change by > 10 X depending on solar cycle

Returns:

Type Description

(rho, T) where rho is mass density in kg/m^3 and T is temperature in Kelvin

Example
t = satkit.time(2024, 1, 1)
coord = satkit.itrfcoord(latitude_deg=0, longitude_deg=0, altitude=400e3)
rho, temp = satkit.density.nrlmsise(coord, t)
print(f"Density: {rho:.2e} kg/m^3")
print(f"Temperature: {temp:.1f} K")