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As the World Turns: Everything You Wanted to Know about Earth's RotationEarth's rotation vector is not a constant in space. Rather, it varies slightly with time on all temporal scales in a very complex, but interesting way. Phenomenologically, the variation can be considered separately in terms of (1) variations in the rotational speed (which translates into the length of day); and (2) variations in the orientation of the rotation axis (called the polar motion relative to the Earth reference frame, and the nutations relative to the inertial space). From the dynamics point of view, these changes can be separated into two types: astronomical (due to external torques mostly exerted by Moon and Sun), and geophysical (due to mass transport in the geophysical fluids of the Earth system under the conservation of angular momentum). Interesting and significant phenomena result. Decades of advancing measurements and active research have yielded fascinating stories.
Document ID
19990115949
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Chao, Benjamin F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1998
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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