Skip to main content
Log in

Tides and Earth Rotation

  • Published:
Surveys in Geophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A short general explanation of tidal forces and tidal effects is given. The influences of Earth tides and ocean tides on the Earth's rotation vector are presented. Today, the theoretical models for periodic variations in the Earth's rotation and in polar motion can be compared with precise measurements done by modern space techniques. Secular changes of the Earth's rotation due to interactions within the Earth-Moon-system are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agnew, D.C. and Farrell, W.R.: 1978, ‘Self-consistent equilibrium ocean tides’, Geophys. J. R. astron. Soc. 55, 171-182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Accad, Y. and Pekeris, C.L.: 1978, ‘Solution of the tidal equations for the M2 and S2 tides in the world oceans from a knowledge of the tidal potential alone’, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London A 290, 235-266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baader, H.R., Brosche, P., and Hövel, W.: 1983, ‘Ocean tides and periodic variations of the Earth's rotation’, Zeitschrift für Geophysik 52, 140-142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P. and Sündermann, J.: 1977, ‘Tides around Pangea’, Naturwissenschaften 64, 89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P.: 1979, ‘Zur Einführung der Gezeitenkräfte’, Astronomische Nachr. 300, 195–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P.: 1982, ‘Oceanic tides and the rotation of the Earth’, in: W. Fricke and G. Teleki (eds.), Sun and Planetary System, Proc. VIth Europ. Meeting in Astronomy, Dubrovnik 19-23 October 1981 Dordrecht 1982, pp. 179-184.

  • Brosche, P. and Hövel, W.: 1982a, ‘Variations of the Tidal Torque in a "short’ Time Scale’, Naturwissenschaften 69, 241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P. and Hövel, W.: 1982b, ‘Tidal friction for times around the presence’, in P. Brosche, J. Sündermann (eds.), Tidal Friction and the Earth's Rotation II, Springer-Verlag Berlin-Heidelberg-New York, pp. 175-189. (Proc. of a meeting at the Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung der Universität Bielefeld 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P., Seiler, U., Sündermann, J., and Wünsch, J.: 1989, ‘Periodic changes in Earth's rotation due to oceanic tides’, Astron. Astrophys. 220, 318-320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P.: 1990, ‘Understanding tidal friction: the history of science in nuce’, Deutsche hydrographische Zeitschrift Erg.-Heft Reihe B 22, 442-445.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P. and Wünsch, J.: 1991, ‘Ocean tides and pole position’, Comptes rendues de la 71. session des Journées Luxembourgeoises de Geodynamique 71, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P., Wünsch, J. Campbell, J., and Schuh, H.: 1991, ‘Ocean tide effects in universal time detected by VLBI’, Astron. Astrophys. 245, 676-682.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosche, P. and Wünsch, J.: 1994, ‘On the “rotational angular momentum” of the oceans and the corresponding polar motion’, Astron. Nachr. 315, 181-188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burša, M.: 1990, Proc. of the IUGG General Assembly, Vienna.

  • Campbell, J. and Schuh, H.: 1986, ‘Short-period variations of Earth Rotation determined by VLBI’, in R. Vieira (ed.), Proc. of the Tenth Internat. Symp. on Earth Tides, Madrid, C.S.I.C., pp. 943- 951.

  • Chao, B.F., Dong, D.N., Liu, H.S., and Herring, T.A.: 1991, ‘Libration in the Earth's rotation’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 18(11), 2007-2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chao, B.F., Merriam, J.B., and Tamura, Y.: 1995, ‘Geophysical analysis of zonal tidal signals in length of day’, Geophys. J. Int. 122, 765-775.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chao, B.F., Ray, R.D., Gipson, J.M., Egbert, G.D., and Ma, C.: 1996, ‘Diurnal/semidiurnal polar motion excited by oceanic tidal angular momentum’, J. Geophys. Res. 101(B9), 20151-20163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dehant, V.: 1987, ‘Tidal parameters for an inelastic Earth’, Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 49, 97–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickey, J.O., Marcus, S.L., and Lichten, S.M.: 1992, ‘Comparison of sub-daily Earth rotation variations with predictions from oceanic tidal models’, Proc. Sixth Internat. Geodetic Symp. on Satellite Positioning. Columbus, Ohio, March 1992, Vol. I, 456-461, and JPL Geodesy and Geophysics, preprint No. 220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eanes, R.J. and Bettadpur, S.: 1995, ‘The CSR 3.0 global ocean tide model’, Center for Space Research, Technical Memorandum, CSR-TM-95-06.

  • Gipson, J.M.: 1996, ‘Very long baseline interferometry determination of neglected tidal terms in high-frequency Earth orientation variation’, J. Geophys. Res. 101(B12), 28051-28064.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greiner-Mai, H.: 1993, ‘Decade variations of the Earth’s rotation and geomagnetic core-mantle coupling’, J. Geomag. Geoelectr. 45, 1333-1345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hefty, J. and Capitaine, N.: 1990, ‘The fortnightly and monthly zonal tides in the Earth's rotation from 1962 to 1988’, Geophys. J. Int. 103, 219-231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herring, T.A.: 1993, ‘Diurnal and semidiurnal variations in Earth rotation’, Adv. Space Research, 13 11, 281-290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herring, T.A. and Dong, D.: 1994, ‘Measurement of diurnal and semidiurnal rotational variations and tidal parameters of Earth’, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 18051-18071.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hide, R., Boggs, D.H., Dickey, J.O., Dong, D., Gross, R.S., and Jackson, A.: 1996, ‘Topographic core-mantle coupling and polar motion on decadal time-scales’, Geophys. J. Int. 125, 599-607.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jochmann, H. and Greiner-Mai, H.: 1996, Climate variations and the Earth’s rotation. J. Geodynamics 21, 161-176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Provost, C., Genco, M.L., Lyard, F., Vincent, P., and Canceil, P.: 1994, ‘Spectroscopy of the world ocean tides from a finite element hydrodynamic model’, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 24777-24797.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, H.S. and Chao, B.F.: 1991, ‘The Earth's equatorial principal axes and moments of inertia’, Geophys. J. Int. 106, 699-702.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, D.D. and Luzum, B.J.: 1993, ‘An analysis of tidal variations in the length of day’, Geophys. J. Int. 114, 341-346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melchior, P.: 1978, The Tides of the Planet Earth, Pergamon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nam, Y.S. and Dickman, S.R.: 1990, ‘Effects of Dynamic Long-Period Ocean Tides on Changes in Earth's Rotation Rate’, J. Geophys. Res. 95(B5), 6751-6757.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, R.D., Steinberg, D.J., Chao, B.F., and Cartwright, D.E.: 1994, ‘Diurnal and semidiurnal variations in the Earth’s rotation Rate Induced by Oceanic Tides’, Science 264, 830-832.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, D.S., Ray, J.R., and Carter, W.E.: 1994, ‘Tidal variations in UT1 observed with very long baseline interferometry’, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 621-636.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roosbeek, F.: 1996, ‘RATGP95: A harmonic development of a tide generating potential using an analytical method’, Geophys. J. Int. 126, 197-204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schastok, J., Soffel, M. and Ruder, H.: 1994, ‘A contribution to the study of fortnightly and monthly zonal tides in UT1’, Astron. Astrophys. 283, 650–654.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seiler, U.: 1991, ‘Periodic changes of the angular momentum budget due to the tides of the world ocean’, J. Geophys. Res. 96(B6), 10287-10300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seiler, U. and Wünsch, J.: 1995, ‘A refined model for the influence of ocean tides on UT1 and polar motion’, Astron. Nachr. 316, 419-423 Sovers, O.J., Jacobs, C.S., and Gross, R.S.: 1993, ‘Measuring rapid ocean tidal Earth orientation variations with VLBI’, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 19959-19971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sündermann, J. and Brosche, P.: 1984, ‘Tidal friction and dynamics of the Earth-moon-system’, Landolt-Börnstein, Neue Serie, Gruppe V, Geophysik und Weltraumforschung, Band 2a, 299- 310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamura, Y.: 1993, ‘Periodic Series of ΔUT1’, IAG Symp. No 112 ‘Geodesy and Physics of the Earth’, Springer Verlag, 435-438.

  • Thomas, M.: 1996, ‘Gezeiten und Drehimpuls im Ozean während der letzten 21000 Jahre’, Diploma thesis, Universität Hamburg. Wahr, M.J., Sasao, T., and Smith, M.L.: 1981, ‘Effect of the fluid core on changes in the length of day due to long period tides’, Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 64, 635-650.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watkins, M.M. and Eanes, R.J.: 1994, ‘Diurnal and semidiurnal variations in Earth orientation determined from Lageos laser ranging’, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 18073-18079.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G.E.: 1991, ‘Upper proterozoic tidal rhythmites, South Australia: sedimentary features, deposition, and implications for the earth’s paleorotation’, Clastic Tidal Sedimentology, Can. Soc. Pet. Geol., Memoir 16, pp. 161-178.

  • Williams, G.E.: 1997, ‘Precambrian length of day and the validity of tidal rhythmite paleotidal values’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 24, 421-424 (see also quotations therein).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wünsch, J.: 1991, ‘Small waves in UT1 caused by the inequality of the equatorial moments of inertia A and B of the Earth’, Astron. Nachr. 312, 321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wünsch, J. and Bußhoff, J.: 1992, ‘Improved observations of periodic UT1 variations caused by ocean tides’, Astron. Astrophys. 266, 588-591.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wünsch, J. and Seiler, U.: 1992, ‘Theoretical amplitudes and phases of the periodic polar motion terms caused by ocean tides’, Astron. Astrophys. 266, 581-587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woolard, E.W.: 1959, ‘Inequalities in mean solar time from the tidal variations in the rotation of the Earth’, Astron. J. 64, 140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoder, C.F., Williams, J.G., and Parke, M.E.: 1981, ‘Tidal variations of Earth rotation’, J. Geophys. Res. 86, B2, 881-891.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zahel, W.: 1995, ‘Assimilating ocean tide determined data into global tidal models’, J. Mar. Systems 6, 3-13.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brosche, P., Schuh, H. Tides and Earth Rotation. Surveys in Geophysics 19, 417–430 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006515130492

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006515130492

Navigation