  Since the late 19th century, several investigators have estimated the mass of
the atmosphere. Unlike previous studies, which focus on the average pressures
on the earth's surface, this analysis uses the density of air above the earth's
surface to predict the mass of the atmosphere. Results are consistent with
recent pressure-based estimates. They indicate that changes in the latest
estimates can be attributed to improved land elevation measurements between 1
km and 3 km. This work also provides estimates of atmospheric mass by layer and
mean and median land elevations.
