Method Of Calculating Heights By The Barometer


The pressure of the atmosphere being measured by the barometer, it is evident that as the instrument is carried up a high mountain or elevated in a balloon, the length of the column must decrease as the atmospheric pressure decreases, in consequence of a stratum of air being left below. The pressure of air arises from its weight, or the attraction of gravitation upon it, and therefore the quantity of air below the barometer cistern cannot influence the height of the column. Hence it follo
s that a certain relation must exist between the difference of the barometric pressure at the foot and at the top of a hill or other elevation, and the difference of the absolute heights above the sea. Theoretical investigation, abundantly confirmed by practical results, has determined that the strata of air decrease in density in a geometrical proportion, while the elevations increase in an arithmetical one. Hence we have a method of determining differences of level, by observations made on the density of the air by means of the barometer. It is beyond our purpose to explain in detail the principles upon which this method is founded, or to give its mathematical investigation. We append Tables, which will be useful to practical persons,—surveyors, engineers, travellers, tourists, &c.,—who may carry a barometer as a travelling companion.



Table I. is calculated from the formula, height in feet = 60,200 (log. 29·922 - log. B) + 925; where 29·922 is the mean atmospheric pressure at 32° F., and the mean sea-level in latitude 45°; and B is any other barometric pressure; the 925 being added to avoid minus signs in the Table.



Table II. contains the correction necessary for the mean temperature of the stratum of air between the stations of observation; and is computed from Regnault’s co-efficient for the expansion of air, which is ·002036 of its volume at 32° for each degree above that temperature.



Table III. is the correction due to the difference of gravitation in any other latitude, and is found from the formula, x = 1 + ·00265 cos. 2 lat.



Table IV. is to correct for the diminution of gravity in ascending from the sea-level.



To use these Tables: The barometer readings at the upper and lower stations having been corrected and reduced to temperature 32° F., take out from Table I. the numbers opposite the corrected readings, and subtract the lower from the upper. Multiply this difference successively by the factors found in Tables II. and III. The factor from Table III. may be neglected unless precision is desired. Finally, add the correction taken from Table IV.



Table I.



Approximate Height due to Barometric Pressure.

























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Inches. Feet. Inches. Feet. Inches. Feet.
31·0 0 28·2 2475 25·4 5209
30·9 84 ·1 2568 ·3 5312
·8 169 28·0 2661 ·2 5415
·7 254 27·9 2754 ·1 5519
·6 339 ·8 2848 25·0 5623
·5 425 ·7 2942 24·9 5728
·4 511 ·6 3037 ·8 5833
·3 597 ·5 3132 ·7 5939
·2 683 ·4 3227 ·6 6045
·1 770 ·3 3323 ·5 6152
30·0 857 ·2 3419 ·4 6259
29·9 944 ·1 3515 ·3 6366
·8 1032 27·0 3612 ·2 6474
·7 1120 26·9 3709 ·1 6582
·6 1208 ·8 3806 24·0 6691
·5 1296 ·7 3904 23·9 6800
·4 1385 ·6 4002 ·8 6910
·3 1474 ·5 4100 ·7 7020
·2 1563 ·4 4199 ·6 7131
·1 1653 ·3 4298 ·5 7242
29·0 1743 ·2 4398 ·4 7353
28·9 1833 ·1 4498 ·3 7465
·8 1924 26·0 4598 ·2 7577
·7 2015 25·9 4699 ·1 7690
·6 2106 ·8 4800 23·0 7803
·5 2198 ·7 4902 22·9 7917
·4 2290 ·6 5004 ·8 8032
·3 2382 ·5 5106 ·7 8147


 



Table I.—continued.



Approximate Height due to Barometric Pressure.









































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Inches. Feet. Inches. Feet. Inches. Feet.
22·6 8262 18·9 12937 15·2 18632
·5 8378 ·8 13076 ·1 18805
·4 8495 ·7 13215 15·0 18979
·3 8612 ·6 13355 14·9 19154
·2 8729 ·5 13496 ·8 19330
·1 8847 ·4 13638 ·7 19507
22·0 8966 ·3 13780 ·6 19685
21·9 9085 ·2 13923 ·5 19865
·8 9205 ·1 14067 ·4 20046
·7 9325 18·0 14212 ·3 20228
·6 9446 17·9 14358 ·2 20412
·5 9567 ·8 14505 ·1 20597
·4 9689 ·7 14652 14·0 20783
·3 9811 ·6 14800 13·9 20970
·2 9934 ·5 14949 ·8 21159
·1 10058 ·4 15099 ·7 21349
21·0 10182 ·3 15250 ·6 21541
20·9 10307 ·2 15402 ·5 21734
·8 10432 ·1 15554 ·4 21928
·7 10558 17·0 15707 ·3 22124
·6 10684 16·9 15861 ·2 22321
·5 10812 ·8 16016 ·1 22520
·4 10940 ·7 16172 13·0 22720
·3 11069 ·6 16329 12·9 22922
·2 11198 ·5 16487 ·8 23126
·1 11328 ·4 16646 ·7 23331
20·0 11458 ·3 16806 ·6 23538
19·9 11589 ·2 16967 ·5 23746
·8 11721 ·1 17129 ·4 23956
·7 11853 16·0 17292 ·3 24168
·6 11986 15·9 17456 ·2 24381
·5 12120 ·8 17621 ·1 24596
·4 12254 ·7 17787 12·0 24813
·3 12389 ·6 17954 11·9 25032
·2 12525 ·5 18122 ·8 25253
·1 12662 ·4 18291 ·7 25476
19·0 12799 ·3 18461 ·6 25700


 



Table II.



Correction due to Mean Temperature of the Air.









































































































































































































































































































































































































































Mean


Temp.
Factor. Mean


Temp.
Factor. Mean


Temp.
Factor.
10° 0·955 35° 1·006 60° 1·057
11 ·957 36 1·008 61 1·059
12 ·959 37 1·010 62 1·061
13 ·961 38 1·012 63 1·063
14 ·963 39 1·014 64 1·065
15 ·965 40 1·016 65 1·067
16 ·967 41 1·018 66 1·069
17 ·969 42 1·020 67 1·071
18 ·971 43 1·022 68 1·073
19 ·974 44 1·024 69 1·075
20 ·976 45 1·026 70 1·077
21 ·978 46 1·029 71 1·079
22 ·980 47 1·031 72 1·081
23 ·982 48 1·033 73 1·083
24 ·984 49 1·035 74 1·086
25 ·986 50 1·037 75 1·088
26 ·988 51 1·039 76 1·090
27 ·990 52 1·041 77 1·092
28 ·992 53 1·043 78 1·094
29 ·994 54 1·045 79 1·096
30 ·996 55 1·047 80 1·098
31 0·998 56 1·049 81 1·100
32 1·000 57 1·051 82 1·102
33 1·002 58 1·053 83 1·104
34 1·004 59 1·055 84 1·106





Table III.

























































































































Latitude. Factor. Latitude. Factor. Latitude. Factor.
80° 0·99751 50 0·99954 20 1·00203
75 0·99770 45 1·00000 15 1·00230
70 0·99797 40 1·00046 10 1·00249
65 0·99830 35 1·00090 5 1·00261
60 0·99868 30 1·00132 0 1·00265
55 0·99910 25 1·00170    


 



Table IV.

















































































































































































Height in


Thousand Feet.
Correction


Additive.
Height in


Thousand Feet.
Correction


Additive.
1 3 14 44
2 5 15 48
3 8 16 52
4 11 17 56
5 14 18 60
6 17 19 65
7 20 20 69
8 23 21 74
9 26 22 78
10 30 23 83
11 33 24 88
12 37 25 93
13 41 26 98


Example 1. On October 21st, 1852, when Mr. Welsh ascended in a balloon, at 3h. 30m. p.m., the barometer, corrected and reduced, was 18·85, the air temperature 27°, while at Greenwich, 159 feet above the sea, the barometer at the same time was 29·97 inches, air temperature 49°, the balloon not being more than 5 miles S.W. from over Greenwich; required its elevation.































































































































  Feet.
Barometer in Balloon     18·85, Table I. = 13007
" at Greenwich     29·97 "   883
  12124
Mean Temperature, 38°, Table II. Factor 1·012
  12269·
Latitude 51½°, Factor from Table III. ·99941
  12262
Correction from Table IV. 38
  12300
Elevation of Greenwich 159
"Balloon 12459 feet.


The following examples, from the balloon ascents of J. Glashier, Esq., F.R.S., will serve for practice.



2. Ascended from Wolverhampton, 18th August, 1862, at 2h. 38m. p.m.; barometer (in all cases corrected and reduced to 32° F) was 14·868, the temperature of the air 26°; at the same time, at Wrottesley Hall, 531 feet above the sea, in latitude 52½° N, the barometer was 29·46, and the temperature of the air 65°·4; find the elevation of the balloon above the sea.



Height, 18,959 feet.



3. From the same place an ascent was made 5th September, 1862, when at 1h. 48m. p.m. barometer was 11·954, air O°; at Wrottesley Hall 29·38, air 56°.



Height, 23,923 feet.



4. From the Crystal Palace a balloon ascent was made 20th August, 1862. At 6h. 47m. p.m. barometer was 25·55, air 50°·5; and at the same time at Greenwich Observatory, at 159 feet above the sea, the barometer was 29·81, air 63°.



Height, 4,406 feet.



5. From the same place an ascent was made 8th September, 1862. At 5 p.m., the balloon being over Blackheath, barometer was 25·60, and the air 49°·5, while at Greenwich, barometer was 29·92, air 66°·4.



Height, 4,461 feet.



 



 










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