Ocean Tides, Earth's Rotation, Moon's Orbital Radius, & Global Warming

AI Thread Summary
Rising ocean levels could theoretically impact Earth's rotational speed and the Moon's orbital radius, but the effects would be minimal and likely unnoticeable. The Moon currently recedes from Earth at a rate of 38mm per year, while Earth's rotation increases by 15 microseconds per year. Changes in ocean levels could alter tidal friction, which affects the rate of energy loss in Earth's rotation. However, the overall gravitational dynamics suggest that such changes would not significantly impact the Moon's recession or Earth's rotation. The interconnectedness of these factors remains complex, but the anticipated effects of rising sea levels are negligible.
dimensionless
Messages
460
Reaction score
1
If ocean levels go up enough, will they have an impact on the Earth's rotational speed and the Moon's orbital radius? If so what will the effect be? It seems that all these things are tide to one another.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
The effect would be too small to be noticed. Any rise in the oceans would be negligible compared to the radius of the Earth itself.
 
Perhaps my questions would seem more meaningful if I rephrased them.

The Moon recedes from the Earth at a velocity of 38mm/year. How will a change in ocean levels alter this speed?

The Earth's rotational period increases at a rate of 15 mcs/year. How will a change in ocean level alter this?
 
Last edited:
The Earth's rotation and the Moon's recession are linked. Both are caused by gravitational action which acts on the bodies as a whole. A redistribution of the details on the Earth should not affect them.
 
The Earth looses rotational energy due to friction from the tides. I would reason that changing sea levels would mean changing friction. If the friction changes then there should be a change in the rate at which the Earth looses rotational energy. This should, in turn, affect the recession of the moon.
 
TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'
This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...

Similar threads

Replies
18
Views
3K
Replies
13
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
30
Views
4K
Replies
4
Views
4K
Back
Top