molecular-scale temperature

A temperature parameter T_M defined by the following relation:

where T is the actual “kinetic” temperature, M₀ the molecular weight of air at sea level (28.966), and M the molecular weight of air at the point where the temperature is being specified.
Molecular-scale temperature has application in specifying temperatures at extremely high altitudes (
see standard atmosphere). Below about 90 km, T_M = T, but above that level, T_M becomes increasingly greater than T.