1. What is Geometric Altitude?

Geometric altitude is the actual physical altitude measured from mean sea level, representing the true vertical distance above the Earth's surface. It differs from geopotential altitude, which accounts for variations in gravity with altitude.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the geometric altitude formula:

Where:

• \( h_G \) — Geometric altitude (meters)
• \( [Earth-R] \) — Earth mean radius (6371008.8 meters)
• \( h \) — Geopotential altitude (meters)

Explanation: This formula converts geopotential altitude (which accounts for gravity variations) to geometric altitude (true physical height above sea level).

3. Importance of Geometric Altitude Calculation

Details: Accurate geometric altitude calculation is crucial for aviation, aerospace engineering, atmospheric studies, and satellite positioning systems where precise altitude measurements are essential.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter geopotential altitude in meters. The value must be positive and less than Earth's radius (6371008.8 m) for valid calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the difference between geometric and geopotential altitude?
A: Geometric altitude is the actual physical height above sea level, while geopotential altitude accounts for gravity variations and is used in atmospheric models.

Q2: Why is Earth's radius used in the calculation?
A: The Earth's curvature affects the relationship between geometric and geopotential altitude, requiring the radius in the conversion formula.

Q3: What are typical applications of this calculation?
A: Aviation altitude corrections, satellite orbit calculations, atmospheric research, and geodesy applications.

Q4: How accurate is this conversion?
A: The conversion is mathematically exact for the spherical Earth model used, though real Earth has slight ellipticity.

Q5: What units should be used for input?
A: Input should be in meters for consistency with the Earth radius constant. Convert from other units before calculation.