Past orientation of the lunar spin axis

Details Past orientation of the lunar spin axis Past orientation of the lunar spin axis

Aug 1975

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1975sci...189..377w&link_type=abstract

Science, vol. 189, Aug. 1, 1975, p. 377-379.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

33

Axes Of Rotation, Earth Tides, Earth-Moon System, Lunar Rotation, Lunar Tides, Astronomical Models, Lunar Evolution, Orbital Mechanics, Planetary Evolution, Stationary Orbits

Scientific paper

The orientation of the lunar spin axis is traced from the early history of the earth-moon system to the present day. Tides raised on the earth by the moon have caused an expansion of the lunar orbit. Tides raised on the moon by the earth have de-spun the moon to synchronous rotation and driven its spin axis to a Cassini state - that is, in a coprecessing configuration, coplanar with the lunar orbit normal and the normal to the Laplacian plane (which is at present coincident with the normal to the ecliptic). This combination of events has resulted in a complex history for the lunar spin axis. For much of the period during which its orbital semimajor axis expanded between 30 and 40 earth radii, the obliquity of the moon was of order 25 to 50 deg. In fact, for a brief period the obliquity periodically attained a value as high as 77 deg; that is, the spin axis of the moon was only 13 deg from lying in its orbit plane.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Past orientation of the lunar spin axis does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Past orientation of the lunar spin axis, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Past orientation of the lunar spin axis will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1541833