Tidal forces on Io, Jupiter’s moon, theoretically, cause the volcanic activity there. How much of Earths volcanic activity is due to the tidal forces between the moon and the sun?
Basically none. Substantially all of the Earth’s internal heat released in volcanoes is generated by radioactive decay of K-40 and U-235 and its daughters.
Io’s tidal heating is substantial because, well, Jupiter is big and Io is super-close to it.
Starry-eyed
10 years ago
Actually, none. That does not mean rocks and ocean are not heated by the movement and friction, but the moon wins in the net energy race and the Earth loses energy from the interaction. The moon’s orbit gets further from Earth and Earth’s rotation slows. So, the very slight additional heat of rocks, the moon moving away from Earth are all powered by the loss of rotational energy of our planet.
A case might be made for lunar tides on Earth being a trigger for an earthquake or volcano. If strain has already built-up to the rupture point of the rock strata, the moon’s tidal effect might be a potential cause of the start of the rupture.
.0016 seconds per century equals
.2754 earth mass,cm/yr kinetic energy.
The earth/moon system gaining 3 centimeters per year, considering its mass 1/60 that of earth has a change (loss) of
.225 earth mass, cm/yr.
If the number for loss of earth’s rotation is correct.
This requires 80 % efficiency, for delivery of rotational energy to the moon, 20% lost as heat. Not probable.
I found these interesting sites for you http://geoweb.tamu.edu/Faculty/Mathewson/308/Set%205%20Sun-Earth-Moon.pdf http://helios.gsfc.nasa.gov/qa_earth.html
Basically none. Substantially all of the Earth’s internal heat released in volcanoes is generated by radioactive decay of K-40 and U-235 and its daughters.
Io’s tidal heating is substantial because, well, Jupiter is big and Io is super-close to it.
Actually, none. That does not mean rocks and ocean are not heated by the movement and friction, but the moon wins in the net energy race and the Earth loses energy from the interaction. The moon’s orbit gets further from Earth and Earth’s rotation slows. So, the very slight additional heat of rocks, the moon moving away from Earth are all powered by the loss of rotational energy of our planet.
A case might be made for lunar tides on Earth being a trigger for an earthquake or volcano. If strain has already built-up to the rupture point of the rock strata, the moon’s tidal effect might be a potential cause of the start of the rupture.
.0016 seconds per century equals
.2754 earth mass,cm/yr kinetic energy.
The earth/moon system gaining 3 centimeters per year, considering its mass 1/60 that of earth has a change (loss) of
.225 earth mass, cm/yr.
If the number for loss of earth’s rotation is correct.
This requires 80 % efficiency, for delivery of rotational energy to the moon, 20% lost as heat. Not probable.
I found these interesting sites for you
http://geoweb.tamu.edu/Faculty/Mathewson/308/Set%205%20Sun-Earth-Moon.pdf
http://helios.gsfc.nasa.gov/qa_earth.html