Earth Rotation Article Index for
Earth
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Earth
 

Information About

Earth Rotation




The Earth's rotation is the Rotation of the solid Earth around its own axis, which is called ''Earth's axis'' or ''rotation axis''.


SPEED OF THE ROTATION

The average Rotation Period of the Earth is called " Sidereal Day ", the actual value " Length Of Day (abbrev. LOD). Many people do not know that LOD is ''not'' 24 hours, but 1/365 shorter than "1 day": its value is

23 H 56 M 4,10 S

and describes the rotation with respect to the cosmic Background of the stars.

In contrast to this, the rotation with respect to the Sun is 24 hours, because we are revolving around the sun once per year. Per day the difference is

86 400 s / 365.25 = 236 seconds = 3 m 56 s (as can be seen above).




Sidereal and Solar day (details)


Special facts & reference problem


AXIS OF THE ROTATION

... definition of the Earth Rotation Parameters (EOP) ...

VARIATION OF LOD WITH TIME


Short introduction into Gyro Physics


Short periodic variations


Long scale variations


EFFECTS ON THE AXIS' DIRECTION


Precession

...
''For a detailed description see the article Precession ''

Nutation

(a simple explanation is possible)


Polar Motion and geophysical interrelations


THE GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF EARTH ROTATION


WIKI- AND WEBLINKS


LITERATURE

(and sources of the figures)