Earth Global Reference Atmospheric Model (GRAM) Overview and Future Improvements
Abstract
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Earth Global Reference Atmospheric Model (GRAM) is a reference or standard atmosphere used for design and mission planning of various aerospace systems. Earth-GRAM was developed in response to the need for a design reference atmosphere that provides complete global geographical variability, complete altitude coverage (surface to orbital altitudes), and complete seasonal and monthly variability of thermodynamic variables and wind components. A unique feature of Earth-GRAM is that, in addition to providing the geographical, height, and monthly variation of the mean atmospheric state, it includes the ability to simulate spatial and temporal perturbations in these atmospheric parameters. The NASA/MSFC Natural Environments Branch recently released Earth-GRAM 2016 Version 2.0 to the user community. The Natural Environments Branch has joined a working group to support the International Standard Organization (ISO) 14222, a standard for the atmosphere. The paper will describe an overview of Earth-GRAM, examine future updates, highlight recent comparison analysis results, and discuss our role in the working group to support ISO 14222.
- Publication:
-
43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E.811W