Abstract
When extrapolating the orbits of the Earth and Moon back into the distant past, it has been usual to assume that the tidal torque acting on the Moon depends only on the magnitude of the forces exciting the tides and on no other factor such as the shape of the ocean or the rotation rate of the Earth. With this assumption it is then found that the Moon was within a few Earth radii of the Earth between 1.5 × 109 and 2.0 × 109 years ago. At this separation the tidal effects should have left some mark in the geological record (Munk 1968), but surprisingly there is no record that such an event occurred either then or at any other time within the last 3.8 × 109 years (Piper 1978, Burnett 1975).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Burnett DS (1975) Lunar Science: The Apollo Legacy. Rev Geophys Space Phys 13: 13–34
Goldreich P (1966) History of the lunar orbit. Rev Geophys Space Phys 4: 411–439
Hansen KS (1981) Secular effects of oceanic tidal dissipation on the Moon’s orbit and the Earth’s rotation. Thesis, Univ Chicago
Lambeck K (1977) Tidal dissipation in the ocean: Astronomical, Geophysical and Oceanographic consequences. Philos Trans R Soc London Ser A 287: 545–594
Lambeck K (1980) The Earth’s variable rotation: geophysical causes and consequences. Cambridge Univ Press, Cambridge
MacDonald GJF (1966) Origin of the Moon: Dynamical Considerations. IN: Marsden BG, Cameron AGW (eds) The Earth-Moon system. Plenum Press, New York, p 288
Munk WH (1968) Once again-tidal friction. Q J R Astron Soc 9: 352–375
Munk WH, Cartwright DE (1966) Tidal spectroscopy and prediction. Philos Trans R Soc London A 259: 533–581
Piper JDA (1978) Geological and geophysical evidence relating to continental growth and dynamics and the hydrosphere in precambrian times. In: Brosche P, Sundermann J (eds) Tidal friction and the Earth’s rotation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 243
Sündermann J, Brosche P (1978) The numerical computation of tidal friction for present and ancient oceans. In: Brosche P, Siindermann J (eds) Tidal friction and the Earth’s rotation. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 243
Webb DJ (1982a) The effect of polar wander on the tides of a hemispherical ocean. Geophys J R Astron Soc 68: 689–707
Webb DJ (1982b) Tides and the evolution of the Earth-Moon system. Geophys J R Astron Soc 70: 261–271
Zahel W (1980) Mathematical modelling of global interaction between ocean tides and Earth tides. Phys Earth Planet Inter 21: 202–217
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Webb, D.J. (1982). On the Reduction in Tidal Dissipation Produced by Increases in the Earth’s Rotation Rate and Its Effect on the Long-Term History of the Moon’s Orbit. In: Brosche, P., Sündermann, J. (eds) Tidal Friction and the Earth’s Rotation II. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68836-2_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68836-2_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-12011-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68836-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive