Kurt Lambeck – författare

Astronomers have long noted that the Earth does not rotate uniformly about an axis fixed in the planet, that both the length-of-day and the direction of the rotation axis vary periodically and irregularly by small amounts. These variations are an immediate consequence of the Earth not being a rigid body. In this book Professor Lambeck discusses the irregular nature of this motion and the geophysical mechanisms responsible for it. A complete analysis of these causes requires a discussion of solid Earth physics, magnetohydrodynamics, oceanography and meteorology. The study of the Earth's rotation is therefore of interest not only to astronomers who wish to explain their observations, but also to many geophysicists who use the astronomers' observations to understand better the Earth's response to a variety of applied forces. The author emphasizes the important contributions made over the last 15 years, this progress being in part a consequence of the overall progress in geophysics and planetary physics and of the developments in space science and technology, which not only require that the Earth's motion be precisely known but which also have provided new and precise methods for monitoring this motion. This book is suitable for geophysicists, astronomers and geodesists who are actively engaged in research as well as for graduate students.

In this work the author sets out to provide a geophysical and geological rationale for geodetic experiments, past, present and future, offering insights into the methods, principles and potential of geodetic science for other Earth scientists. Geodesy is the study of the shape and gravity field of the Earth. The term "geophysical geodesy" describes here those geodetic methods that, together with the geological and geophysical evidence, contribute to the examination of the slow deformation of the Earth. It includes the study of crustal motion, of spatial and temporal variations in the gravity field and of the planet's rotation and tidal deformations. A basic knowledge of geodesy and geophysics is assumed, but where appropriate, selected references are given to background literature. The book is aimed primarily at graduate students in geodesy and geophysics, but advanced undergraduate students may also find it useful. The information discussed may also be of value to geodesists who wish to understand the geophysical implications of their measurements and to geophysicists interested in how the geodetic results have been obtained.The examples of the application of geodetic measurements to geophysical and geological problems have been chosen to illustrate the full range of applications that may be in the forefront of future research.