Plotting tidal force vectors on the surface of the earth

[Dustinsfl]

How can I plot the tidal force vectors on the surface the Earth in Mathematica or Python?

The potential energy of the tidal force on the poles are
$$
U = -GM_{moon}m_{water}\left(\frac{1}{d}+\frac{x}{d_0^2}\right)
$$
where $d_0$ is the distance between the moon and the Earth 384400 km.

The equation of motion for forces acting on mass m is
$$
m\ddot{\mathbf{r}} = m\mathbf{g} + \mathbf{F}_{NG} - GM_{moon}m_{water}\left(\frac{\hat{\mathbf{d}}}{d^2} - \frac{\hat{\mathbf{d}}_0}{d_0^2}\right)
$$

Force ng is the non gravitational forces.

I am not sure what I need to use to plot the vector lines coming from the Earth due to the moon.

I know the tidal forces bulges out on the horizontal ends and pushes in on the poles.

 

[jedishrfu]

this might help for plotting on a sphere using matlab:

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/58356

You just have to modify the code for what you want. There may be another addition that will draw an Earth profile on the sphere but I couldn't find it.

 

[Dustinsfl]

this might help for plotting on a sphere using matlab:

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/58356

You just have to modify the code for what you want. There may be another addition that will draw an Earth profile on the sphere but I couldn't find it.

I am looking to make a plot like the one on the bottom but in 3d

http://physics.mercer.edu/hpage/tidal asymmetry/asymmetry.html

 

[jedishrfu]

check out google Earth that may be a piece of the puzzle. You'd still have to make a kml file for it though.

https://developers.google.com/earth/