Determining atmospheric conditions from trajectory data

This report investigates the feasibility of determining atmospheric conditions from a projectile's observed flight. Test trajectories were generated as solutions of the modified point-mass (MPM) equations of motion, using standard atmospheric conditions and specified winds. In a revised version of the MPM equations, the air density, sound speed and wind were re-defined in terms of a small number of parameters. A curve-fitting program then fit the revised equations to the trajectory data by adjusting the parameter values. Density, sound speed and wind profiles obtained from these fits were in excellent agreement with the original atmospheric data. Thus, the program--although it should be further tested under less idyllic conditions--is entirely feasible.