Altitude

Altitude or height (sometimes known as

'depth') is defined based on the context in
which it is used (aviation, geometry,
geographical survey, sport, atmospheric
pressure, and many more). As a general
definition, altitude is a distance
measurement, usually in the vertical or
"up" direction, between a reference datum
and a point or object. The reference datum
also often varies according to the context.
Although the term altitude is commonly
used to mean the height above sea level of
a location, in geography the term elevation
is often preferred for this usage.

Vertical distance measurements in the

"down" direction are commonly referred to
as depth.

In aviation
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Vertical distance comparison

In aviation, the term altitude can have

several meanings, and is always qualified
by explicitly adding a modifier (e.g. "true
altitude"), or implicitly through the context
of the communication. Parties exchanging
altitude information must be clear which
definition is being used.[1]

Aviation altitude is measured using either

mean sea level (MSL) or local ground level
(above ground level, or AGL) as the
reference datum.

Pressure altitude divided by 100 feet

(30 m) is the flight level, and is used above
the transition altitude (18,000 feet
(5,500 m) in the US, but may be as low as
3,000 feet (910 m) in other jurisdictions);
so when the altimeter reads 18,000 ft on
the standard pressure setting the aircraft
is said to be at "Flight level 180". When
flying at a flight level, the altimeter is
always set to standard pressure
(29.92 inHg or 1013.25 hPa).
On the flight deck, the definitive instrument
for measuring altitude is the pressure
altimeter, which is an aneroid barometer
with a front face indicating distance (feet
or metres) instead of atmospheric
pressure.

There are several types of altitude in

aviation:

Indicated altitude is the reading on the

altimeter when it is set to the local
barometric pressure at mean sea level.
In UK aviation radiotelephony usage, the
vertical distance of a level, a point or an
object considered as a point, measured
from mean sea level; this is referred to
over the radio as altitude.(see QNH)[2]
Absolute altitude is the vertical distance
of the aircraft above the terrain over
which it is flying. It can be measured
using a radar altimeter (or "absolute
altimeter").[1] Also referred to as "radar
height" or feet/metres above ground
level (AGL).
True altitude is the actual elevation
above mean sea level. It is indicated
altitude corrected for non-standard
temperature and pressure.
Height is the vertical distance above a
reference point, commonly the terrain
elevation. In UK aviation radiotelephony
usage, the vertical distance of a level, a
point or an object considered as a point,
measured from a specified datum; this is
referred to over the radio as height,
where the specified datum is the airfield
elevation (see QFE)[2]
Pressure altitude is the elevation above
a standard datum air-pressure plane
(typically, 1013.25 millibars or 29.92"
Hg). Pressure altitude is used to indicate
"flight level" which is the standard for
altitude reporting in the U.S. in Class A
airspace (above roughly 18,000 feet).
Pressure altitude and indicated altitude
 are the same when the altimeter setting
is 29.92" Hg or 1013.25 millibars.
Density altitude is the altitude corrected
for non-ISA International Standard
Atmosphere atmospheric conditions.
Aircraft performance depends on
density altitude, which is affected by
barometric pressure, humidity and
temperature. On a very hot day, density
altitude at an airport (especially one at a
high elevation) may be so high as to
preclude takeoff, particularly for
helicopters or a heavily loaded aircraft.

These types of altitude can be explained

more simply as various ways of measuring
the altitude:

Indicated altitude – the altitude shown

on the altimeter.
Absolute altitude – altitude in terms of
the distance above the ground directly
below
True altitude – altitude in terms of
elevation above sea level
Height – vertical distance above a
certain point
Pressure altitude – the air pressure in
terms of altitude in the International
Standard Atmosphere
 Density altitude – the density of the air
in terms of altitude in the International
Standard Atmosphere in the air

In atmospheric studies
Atmospheric layers

The Earth's atmosphere is divided into

several altitude regions. These regions
start and finish at varying heights
depending on season and distance from
the poles. The altitudes stated below are
averages:[3]

Troposphere: surface to 8,000 metres

(5.0 mi) at the poles, 18,000 metres
 (11 mi) at the Equator, ending at the
Tropopause
Stratosphere: Troposphere to 50
kilometres (31 mi)
Mesosphere: Stratosphere to 85
kilometres (53 mi)
Thermosphere: Mesosphere to 675
kilometres (419 mi)
Exosphere: Thermosphere to 10,000
kilometres (6,200 mi)

The Kármán line, at an altitude of 100

kilometres (62 mi) above sea level, by
convention defines represents the
demarcation between the atmosphere and
space.[4] The thermosphere and exosphere
(along with the higher parts of the
mesosphere) are regions of the
atmosphere that are conventionally
defined as space.

High altitude and low pressure

Regions on the Earth's surface (or in its

atmosphere) that are high above mean
sea level are referred to as high altitude.
High altitude is sometimes defined to
begin at 2,400 meters (8,000 ft) above sea
level.[5][6][7]

At high altitude, atmospheric pressure is

lower than that at sea level. This is due to
two competing physical effects: gravity,
which causes the air to be as close as
possible to the ground; and the heat
content of the air, which causes the
molecules to bounce off each other and
expand.[8]

Temperature profile

The temperature profile of the atmosphere

is a result of an interaction between
radiation and convection. Sunlight in the
visible spectrum hits the ground and heats
it. The ground then heats the air at the
surface. If radiation were the only way to
transfer heat from the ground to space, the
greenhouse effect of gases in the
atmosphere would keep the ground at
roughly 333 K (60 °C; 140 °F), and the
temperature would decay exponentially
with height.[9]

However, when air is hot, it tends to

expand, which lowers its density. Thus, hot
air tends to rise and transfer heat upward.
This is the process of convection.
Convection comes to equilibrium when a
parcel of air at a given altitude has the
same density as its surroundings. Air is a
poor conductor of heat, so a parcel of air
will rise and fall without exchanging heat.
This is known as an adiabatic process,
which has a characteristic pressure-
temperature curve. As the pressure gets
lower, the temperature decreases. The rate
of decrease of temperature with elevation
is known as the adiabatic lapse rate, which
is approximately 9.8 °C per kilometer (or
5.4 °F per 1000 feet) of altitude.[9]

Note that the presence of water in the

atmosphere complicates the process of
convection. Water vapor contains latent
heat of vaporization. As air rises and
cools, it eventually becomes saturated and
cannot hold its quantity of water vapor.
The water vapor condenses (forming
clouds), and releases heat, which changes
the lapse rate from the dry adiabatic lapse
rate to the moist adiabatic lapse rate
(5.5 °C per kilometer or 3 °F per
1000 feet.[10] As an average, the
International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) defines an international standard
atmosphere (ISA) with a temperature
lapse rate of 6.49 °C per kilometer (3.56 °F
per 1,000 feet).[11] The actual lapse rate
can vary by altitude and by location.

Finally, note that only the troposphere (up

to approximately 11 kilometres (36,000 ft)
of altitude) in the Earth's atmosphere
undergoes notable convection; in the
stratosphere, there is little vertical
convection.[12]

Effects on organisms
Humans

Medicine recognizes that altitudes above

1,500 metres (4,900 ft) start to affect
humans,[13] and there is no record of
humans living at extreme altitudes above
5,500–6,000 metres (18,000–19,700 ft) for
more than two years.[14] As the altitude
increases, atmospheric pressure
decreases, which affects humans by
reducing the partial pressure of oxygen.[15]
The lack of oxygen above 2,400 metres
(8,000 ft) can cause serious illnesses such
as altitude sickness, high altitude
pulmonary edema, and high altitude
cerebral edema.[7] The higher the altitude,
the more likely are serious effects.[7] The
human body can adapt to high altitude by
breathing faster, having a higher heart rate,
and adjusting its blood chemistry.[16][17] It
can take days or weeks to adapt to high
altitude. However, above 8,000 metres
(26,000 ft), (in the "death zone"), altitude
acclimatization becomes impossible.[18]

There is a significantly lower overall

mortality rate for permanent residents at
higher altitudes.[19] Additionally, there is a
dose response relationship between
increasing elevation and decreasing
obesity prevalence in the United States.[20]
In addition, the recent hypothesis suggests
that high altitude could be protective
against Alzheimer's disease via action of
erythropoietin, a hormone released by
kidney in response to hypoxia.[21] However,
people living at higher elevations have a
statistically significant higher rate of
suicide.[22] The cause for the increased
suicide risk is unknown so far.[22]

Athletes
For athletes, high altitude produces two
contradictory effects on performance. For
explosive events (sprints up to 400 metres,
long jump, triple jump) the reduction in
atmospheric pressure signifies less
atmospheric resistance, which generally
results in improved athletic
performance.[23] For endurance events
(races of 5,000 metres or more) the
predominant effect is the reduction in
oxygen which generally reduces the
athlete's performance at high altitude.
Sports organizations acknowledge the
effects of altitude on performance: the
International Association of Athletic
Federations (IAAF), for example, marks
record performances achieved at an
altitude greater than 1,000 metres
(3,300 ft) with the letter "A".[24]

Athletes also can take advantage of

altitude acclimatization to increase their
performance. The same changes that help
the body cope with high altitude increase
performance back at sea level.[25][26]
These changes are the basis of altitude
training which forms an integral part of the
training of athletes in a number of
endurance sports including track and field,
distance running, triathlon, cycling and
swimming.
Other organisms

Decreased oxygen availability and

decreased temperature make life at high
altitude challenging. Despite these
environmental conditions, many species
have been successfully adapted at high
altitudes. Animals have developed
physiological adaptations to enhance
oxygen uptake and delivery to tissues
which can be used to sustain metabolism.
The strategies used by animals to adapt to
high altitude depend on their morphology
and phylogeny. For example, small
mammals face the challenge of
maintaining body heat in cold
temperatures, due to their small volume to
surface area ratio. As oxygen is used as a
source of metabolic heat production, the
hypobaric hypoxia at high altitudes is
problematic.

There is also a general trend of smaller

body sizes and lower species richness at
high altitudes, likely due to lower oxygen
partial pressures.[27] These factors may
decrease productivity in high altitude
habitats, meaning there will be less energy
available for consumption, growth, and
activity.[28]
However, some species, such as
birds,thrive at high altitude.[29] Birds thrive
because of physiological features that are
advantageous for high-altitude flight.

See also
Near space
Atmosphere of Earth
Coffin corner (aerodynamics) At higher
altitudes, the air density is lower than at
sea level. At a certain altitude it is very
difficult to keep an airplane in stable
flight.
Vertical metre
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External links
"Altitude pressure calculator" . Apex
(altitude physiology expeditions).
Retrieved 8 August 2006.
"The Race to the Stratosphere" . U.S.
Centennial of Flight Commission.
Archived from the original on 9 March
2006. Retrieved 25 January 2006.
 Downloadable ETOPO2 Raw Data
Database (2 minute grid)
Downloadable ETOPO5 Raw Data
Database (5 minute grid)
Calculate true altitude with these
JavaScript applications
Find the altitude of any place

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