Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 14:29:49 -0500 (EST)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at keithlynch.net>
To: WSFAlist at keithlynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Re: the earth tips over
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

ronkean at juno.com wrote:
> But... even if the ice caps did become heavier than the equatorial
> bulge (which could happen if the bulge were very much lighter than
> it is) - even then that would be no reason to believe the earth
> would tip over, would it?

Actually, it would.  The poles would still point the same direction in
space, and the axial tilt would remain unchanged, as would the length
of the year, etc, but the poles would rapidly move from their present
geographic location to somewhere on or near the current equator.

In the short run, this would cause earthquakes and tsunamis.  In the
slightly longer run, this would radically alter the climate of just
about everywhere.  It would also lengthen the day.

Fortunately, nothing like this will ever happen with the earth or
any other planet or large moon, since they all have large equatorial
bulges for fairly fundamental reasons.  Large compared to ice caps,
mountain ranges, mascons, or any other out-of-round features, I mean.

Saturn's moon Hyperion is the largest object known to have tipped in
this way.
--
Keith F. Lynch - kfl at keithlynch.net - http://keithlynch.net/
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