Analysis of the Earth's variable rotation

Abstract

The objective was to analyze the Earth's rotation, and to compare the observations with the atmospheric and seismic excitation functions. The variation in the Earth's rotation can be separated into the length-of-day (LOD) variation and the polar motion. Possible driving mechanisms include: atmospheric/oceanic circulations, seismic activities, solar-lunar tides, mantle convection, core-mantle coupling, and solar activities. The major problem of concern was the identification of these dynamical processes as primary driving mechanisms for the various features in the variation of the Earth's rotation.