Effects of High Terrestrial Altitude on Military Performance

Abstract

Physical Characteristics: At high altitude, several adverse physical characteristics make coping, functioning, and survival very difficult: hypoxia, cold, wind, dryness, solar radiation, and ultraviolet radiation. The proportion of oxygen in the air is constant at 20.93%, even at altitudes up to 100,000 m. The decreased atmospheric pressure at thigh altitudes results in a proportional reduction of the partial pressure of oxygen (Po2). This lessens the amount of oxygen carried on the blood. The barometric pressures of two regions at the same elevation may differ, since atmospheric pressure also depends on latitude, thickness of the earth's crust, and weather. The relationship between altitude and atmospheric pressure is described in table which include adjustment factors for specific location conditions. High altitude; Physiology.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 18, 1989
Accession Number
ADA209614

Entities

People

  • Louis E. Banderet
  • Richard L. Burse

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Barometric Pressure
  • Biomedical Research
  • Body Weight
  • Central Nervous System
  • Cognitive Workload
  • Data Storage Systems
  • Eye Diseases
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Lung Diseases
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Research
  • Motor Skills
  • Nervous System
  • Psychology
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Psychophysiology
  • Respiration Disorders

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