The Rotation of the Earth: A Geophysical Discussion

by Walter H. Munk, Gordon J. F. MacDonald

Overview

This book gives an account of certain observed irregularities on the rotation of the Earth, both in its rate of rotation (giving a variable length of day) and in the position of its axis. These irregularities are caused by events on and within the Earth and provide a means of studying a number of geophysical problems. Seasonal shifts in air masses and variable winds are causes of short-period fluctuations in the rotation. Climatic changes and their attendant sea levels are in part responsible for long-term fluctuations. Modern observations of the Moon and descriptions of ancient elipses both establish a secular increase in the length of day. The interpretation involves atmospheric, oceanic and bodily tides. The book provides a unified treatment of the rotation of the Earth, making this method of studying geophysical phenomena more readily accessible to geophysicists and others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521104067
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/19/2009
Series:	Cambridge Monographs on Mechanics
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	348
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Part I. Preview; Part II. Precession, nutation and wobble; Part III. Dynamics; Part IV. Deformation; Part V. Love numbers and associated coefficients; Part VI. Solutions to the approximate Liouville equation; Part VII. Observations of latitude; Part VIII. Observations of the length of day; Part IX. Seasonal and other short-period variations; Part X. Chandler wobble; Part XI. Historical variations; Part XII. Geological variations; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.