Accurate models of the density, composition, and temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, from ground through to exobase, are indispensible for satellite operations, remote sensing imagery analysis, and as source terms in modelling software that propagate light through the atmosphere.
The NRLMSISE-00 model was developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory. It is based on mass spectrometry and incoherent radar scatter data, includes drag and accelerometer data, and accounts for anomalous oxygen at high altitudes. It is recommended by the International Committee on Space Resarch (COSPAR) as the standard for atmospheric composition.
The JB2008 (Jacchia-Bowman) model is a newer model developed by Space Environment Technologies and the US Air Force Space Command. The model accounts for various phenomena related to EUV heating of the thermosphere and uses the DST index as the driver of global density changes. The model is complementary to the NRLMSISE00 model and is more accurate during times of high solar activity and geomagnetic storms. It is recommended by COSPAR as the standard for thermospheric density in satellite drag calculations.
The WAM-IPE (Whole Atmosphere Model-Ionosphere Plasmasphere Electrodynamics) Forecast System (aka WFS) provides thermosphere and ionosphere forecasts on a 48 hour horizon. The model accounts for solar, space weather, and lower atmosphere forcing effects.
Many scientific models are written in legacy languages that can be difficult to integrate into modern software systems.
We use scientific models as source terms in our own projects. We know that integration can be time consuming, and we have developed web APIs to these models so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Read the open API documentation here, and register for access here.