Lanterna Rally

Author: George Darwin

Publisher:

Published: 2013-05-09

Total Pages: 410

ISBN-13: 9781484928349

A mathematical argument is, after all, only organized common sense, and it is well that men of science should not always expound their work to the few behind a veil of technical language, but should from time to time explain to a larger public the reasoning which lies behind their mathematical notation. To a man unversed in popular exposition it needs a great effort to shell away the apparatus of investigation and the technical mode of speech from the thing behind it, and I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Lowell, trustee of the Institute, for having afforded me the occasion for making that effort.It is not unlikely that the first remark of many who see my title will be that so small a subject as the Tides cannot demand a whole volume; but, in fact, the subject branches out in so many directions that the difficulty has been to attain to the requisite compression of my matter. Many popular works on astronomy devote a few pages to the Tides, but, as far as I know, none of these books contain explanations of the practical methods of observing and predicting the Tides, or give any details as to the degree of success attained by tidal predictions. If these matters are of interest, I invite my readers not to confine their reading to this preface. The later chapters of this book are devoted to the consideration of several branches of speculative Astronomy, with which the theory of the Tides has an intimate relationship. The problems involved in the origin and history of the solar and of other celestial systems have little bearing upon our life on the earth, yet these questions can hardly fail to be of interest to all those whose minds are in any degree permeated by the scientific spirit.I think that there are many who would like to understand the Tides, and will make the attempt to do so provided the exposition be sufficiently simple and clear; it is to such readers I address this volume. It is for them to say how far I have succeeded in rendering these intricate subjects interesting and intelligible, but if I have failed it has not been for lack of pains.In conclusion, I wish to take this opportunity of thanking my American audience for the cordiality of their reception, and my many friends across the Atlantic for their abundant hospitality and kindness. G. H. DARWINCONTENTSCHAPTER IDefinition of tide Oceanic tides Methods of observation Tide-gauge Tide-curve Site for tide-gauge Irregularities in tide-curve CHAPTER IISEICHES IN LAKESMeaning of seiche Uses of scientific apparatus Forel's plemyrameter Records of the level of the lake Interpretation of record Limnimeter Mode of oscillation in seiches Wave motion in deep and in shallow water Composition of waves Periods of seiches Causes of seiches Vibrations due to wind and to steamers Aerial waves and their action on lakes and on the sea CHAPTER IIITIDES IN RIVERS|TIDE MILLSDefinition of ebb and flowTidal currents in riversProgressive change of wave in shallow waterThe boreCHAPTER IVHISTORICAL SKETCHTheories of the ChineseTheories of the ArabsTheories of the NorsemenWritings of Posidonius and StraboSeleucus the Babylonian on the diurnal inequalityGalileo and KeplerNewton and his successorsEmpirical method of tidal predictionCHAPTER VTIDE-GENERATING FORCECHAPTER VIDEFLECTION OF THE VERTICALCHAPTER VIITHE ELASTIC DISTORTION OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE BYVARYING LOADSCHAPTER VIIIEQUILIBRIUM THEORY OF TIDESCHAPTER IXDYNAMICAL THEORY OF THE TIDE WAVECHAPTER XTIDES IN LAKES|COTIDAL CHARTCHAPTER XIHARMONIC ANALYSIS OF THE TIDECHAPTER XIIREDUCTION OF TIDAL OBSERVATIONSCHAPTER XIIITIDE TABLESCHAPTER XIVTHE DEGREE OF ACCURACY OF TIDAL PREDICTIONCHAPTER XVCHANDLER'S NUTATION|THE RIGIDITY OF THE EARTHCHAPTER XVITIDAL FRICTIONCHAPTER XVIITIDAL FRICTION (con't)CHAPTER XVIIITHE FIGURES OF EQUILIBRIUM OF A ROTATING MASS OFLIQUIDCHAPTER XIXTHE EVOLUTION OF CELESTIAL SYSTEMSCHAPTER XXSATURN'S RINGS