The enhanced nodal equilibrum ocean tide and polar motion

Abstract

Recent data analysis of polar motion indicates the presence of a component with periodicity corresponding to the motion of the lunar ascending node. An investigation of the tidal response of the ocean to long period forcing functions has been conducted. The results of the investigation indicate the possibility of exilation of a wobble component with the amplitude and frecuency indicated by the data. An enhancement function for the equilibrium tide has been postulated in the form of an expansion in zonal harmonics and the coefficients of such an expansion have been estimated so as to obtain polar motion components of the required magnitude.