A Globally Averaged Thermospheric Density Data Set Derived From Two‐Line Orbital Element Sets and Special Perturbations State Vectors
Abstract
We describe a long‐term data set of global average thermospheric mass density derived from orbit data on ∼7,700 objects in low Earth orbit, via the effect of atmospheric drag. The data cover the years 1967–2019 and altitudes 250–575 km, and the temporal resolution is 3–4 days for most years. The data set is an extension and revision of a previous version. The most important change is the use of more precise orbit data: special perturbation state vectors are now used starting in 2001, instead of mean Keplerian orbital elements. The data are suitable for climatological studies of thermospheric variations and trends, and for space weather studies on time scales longer than 3 days.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jul 27, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1029/2021ja029455
Entities
People
- A. M. Segerman
- John Emmert
- Manbharat Dhadly
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- United States Naval Research Laboratory