Request consideration of 4 lines of evidence supporting lunar driving effects.
Preprint Spectral, spatial-statistical, and graphical evidence that g...
hello,
please find the attached document by Riguzzi et al and hope this helpful
regards
I would not use the term ASSIST... maybe INTERFERE, at some yet unmeasured degree.
One useful approach to comment on earth-moon interaction in driving plate tectonics on earth is to properly understand the viscosity of the asthenosphere (Low viscosity zone) (e.g. Doglioni et al. 2011, PEPI). This zone is expected to decouple the lithosphere from the main mass of the mantle in response to the tidal drag. In addition to Riguzzi et al. 2009, Scoppola et al. 2006 GSA Bulletin made a detailed discussion on this subject.
I’d like to thank those who commented above and address several points, specifically, in the following.
Joice Joseph – I appreciate very much the work of Riguzzi and Doglioni during recent years. The article you cite, Can Earth’s rotation and tidal despinning drive plate tectonics? presents considerable geological and geophysical evidence that supports their hypothesis. Certainly, their evidence is closely complementary to that presented in the article linked under this question, Spectral, spatial-statistical, and graphical evidence that gravitational interaction with the Moon assists in driving Earth's tectonic plates-Part 1. Riguzzi et al. makes strong arguments for: (1) a global, E-W asymmetry to slab dip and geometry consistent with westward motion of the lithosphere with respect to the mantle, and (2) the possibility of an ultra-low viscosity layer in the upper asthenosphere. The forcing model that is proposed certainly may supply a driving component, but is not necessarily unique. Not mentioned as a similar driver is the probable analogous contribution by the Sun. On the other hand, the article, Spectral, provides a spectral analysis of the trend of polar drift for the last 121 years, which unequivocally shows a substantial component of lunar driving to polar drift. Further, its first study of spatial dispersion of global seismic energy about all meridian great circles (MGCs) quantitatively establishes a component of seismic energy being produced by migration of the Earth’s ellipsoid due to secular polar drift. The second study of spatial dispersion details with more precision that “the seismicity is latitude dependent” and “These patterns support a rotational and astronomical tuning of plate tectonics:” both proposed in Section 3 of Riguzzi et al. Lastly, whole-mantle rotation, implied by Spectral, approximately along the MGC of polar drift (79.2° W/ 100.8°E), provides rationale for both the amplitude and phase of the “undulate mainstream of plate motion” referred to in Figure 2 of Riguzzi et al.
In summary, Spectral provides the type of quantitative numerical support that Riguzzi et al. implies in their conclusion is needed.
Ameha Atnafu Muluneh – Indeed, that approach is useful and important and I mention it in the above.