Tides in the giant planets

Abstract

Goldreich and Soter's (1966) discussion of tidal dissipation in the Jovian planets is reexamined for planetary models which possess an appreciable internal heat source. The tidal torque produced in a fully liquid planet is calculated as a function of the average viscosity in the interior. Turbulent viscosity, which is produced by the convection of internal heat to the surface, seems to be capable of producing small (about a few per cent) changes in the orbits of the innermost satellites of Jupiter over the age of the solar system. The basic regularity of many of the giant planet satellite systems is probably due to other, perhaps primordial, causes.