Stability of Planetary Rotation
Contributors: Mitrovica, Jerry X.; O'Connell, Richard J.; Stewart-Mukhopadhyay, Sarah T.; Huybers, Peter
Published: 2014
Language: eng
Description: This thesis focuses on the long-term rotational stability of the Earth and terrestrial planets. One important class of perturbation is a reorientation of the solid planet with respect to a rotation pole that remains fixed in an inertial frame. These motions are driven by mass redistribution within or on the surface of the planet (e.g. glaciation, mantle convective flow). Long-term changes in the orientation of the rotation pole are called True Polar Wander (TPW).
Notes: Keywords: Earth Rotation Variations, Ice Age, Lithosphere, Martian Ocean, Planetary Rotation, True Polar Wander.

Thesis Ph.D. Harvard University 2014