Comments on “Fortnightly Earth rotation, ocean tides, and mantle anelasticity” by R.D. Ray and G.D. Egbert

Fortnightly atmospheric tides forced by spring and neap tides in coastal waters

The influence of sea surface temperature (SST) on atmospheric processes over the open ocean has been well documented. However, atmospheric responses to SST in coastal waters are poorly understood. Oceanic stratification (and consequently, SST) in coastal waters largely depends on the fortnightly spring-neap tidal cycle, because of variations in vertical tidal mixing. Here we investigate how cha...

The earth dynamic system: the earth rotation vs mantle convection

The earth dynamic system is one of the key scientific questions on the earth science. The thermodynamic behavior and gravity force of the earth and the rheology nature of the mantle prove that mantle convection is the main power source leading the lithosphere to break and move. Yet the directivity of both the structures in the crust and plate movement reminds of the earth rotation. Here we demo...

The Anelasticity of the Earth.

Okhotsk Sea Kashevarov Bank polynya: Its dependence on diurnal and fortnightly tides and its initial formation

[1] A powerful resonance in the O1 and K1 diurnal tides occurs over the Kashevarov Bank in the Okhotsk Sea. Model studies show that this resonance creates tidal mixing and an associated vertical heat flux, both with diurnal and fortnightly components. In midwinter this flux controls the behavior of the resultant polynya; in early winter it affects the polynya formation. For the midwinter case, ...

Constraints on Mantle Anelasticity from SLR Tidal Estimates

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements of the Earth’s gravity field can be used to solve for solid Earth tides. We use those solutions to place constraints on anelasticity in the Earth’s mantle at periods of 12 hours and 18.6 years. The results imply that the anelastic parameter Q is smaller for those tides than for seismic waves. We interpret this as evidence that Q is frequency dependent....