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Lunar tidal acceleration determined from laser range measures.

O Calame, J D Mulholland

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |March 3, 1978
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Scientists analyzed lunar laser ranging data from 1969-1976 to measure the Moon's secular acceleration. The study determined an acceleration of -24.6 arc seconds per century squared, consistent with tidal friction effects.

    Area of Science:

    • * Astronomy and Astrophysics
    • * Geophysics and Geodesy
    • * Celestial Mechanics

    Background:

    • * The Moon's orbital motion is influenced by Earth's tidal friction, causing a secular acceleration.
    • * Previous studies have estimated this acceleration, but precise measurements are crucial for understanding Earth-Moon system dynamics.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • * To determine the anomalous secular acceleration in the Moon's mean longitude using lunar laser ranging data.
    • * To assess the contribution of tidal friction to this acceleration.
    • * To explore the possibility of separating tidal effects from variations in the gravitational constant.

    Main Methods:

    • * Analysis of lunar laser ranging (LLR) measurements spanning from 1969 to 1976.
    • * Application of various observational models and data sets to derive the acceleration.

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  • * Comparison of determined values against atomic time scales and conventional estimates.

    • Main Results:

    • * The determined secular acceleration is -24.6 ± 1.6 arc seconds per century squared.
    • * This value aligns well with established conventional values and recent findings from other methods.
    • * An attempt to determine the rate of change of the Moon's mean distance did not yield significant results due to insufficient observation duration.

    Conclusions:

    • * The study confirms the anomalous secular acceleration of the Moon, largely attributed to tidal friction.
    • * LLR data provides a robust method for refining estimates of lunar orbital parameters.
    • * Longer observational baselines are required to investigate potential variations in fundamental constants like the gravitational constant.