MadSci Network: Earth Sciences |
The attraction of the Moon and Sun affects not only the oceans, but the land, too. The maximum amplitude of this deformation is about 30 cm (1 feet). This occurs because the Earth is not perfectly rigid, so it can deform in reaction to a force. More information about this can be found at the sites http://www.bowdoin.edu/dept/physics/astro.1998/astro11/tides.html http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=74299&hook=79450#79450.hook http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=32271&tocid=0 Thanx to Dr. Wladimir Shukowsky, from IAG-USP (wladimir@iag.usp.br) for discussing on this topic. Best regards Eder C. Molina IAG-USP Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences University of Sao Paulo - Brazil
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