USING METEOROLOGICAL DATA IN BALLISTICS AND ARTILLERY

Dragoslav Petrović

Abstract
It can be easily noticed that everyday meteorological data (temperature, wind and pressure as most important in ballistics) differ from their prescribed values. As meteorological data affect external ballistics processes (the behaviour of unguided missiles and projectiles and their trajectory position in space), the best way of considering the influences it is to observe the actual projectile trajectory deviation from the nominal trajectory calculated for nominal meteorological data. Meteorological data, as probable values, can only be registered as the mean values for the specified time period as they participate in complex atmosphere dynamics. Methods of obtaining meteorological data deviations from complex atmosphere dynamics equations and simple measurements by radio sonde trackings are considered. The results obtained from the processing of meteorological data deviations are written in standard forms of meteorological biltens depending on the way of processing. The basic elements of authors new method for the calculation of projectile and unguided missile sensitivity to meteorological data influences are presented. The influences are shown using so called conditional height which is closely related to the trajectory vertex height.

Key words: ballistics, exterior ballistics, artillery, artillery projectile, unguided missile, ballistic trajectory, ballistic calculation, meteorological data, meteorological conditions, physics of atmosphere, atmospheric conditions influence, movement through the atmosphere.