Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T17:22:38.955Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Shape of the Earth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2010

Extract

The aim of the Duke of Edinburgh's Lectures is ‘to extend the horizons of navigational interest’. I have been able to interpret this literally, for if you extend these horizons far enough, what do you arrive at but the subject of this lecture, the shape of the Earth? It is a subject which has been revolutionized in the past five years by analysis of the orbits of artificial satellites: the two years from 1958 to 1960 saw more progress than the previous 200 years, and since 1960 the pace of progress has shown no sign of slackening.

Type
The Duke of Edinburgh's Lecture
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1964

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1Todhunter, I.A History of the mathematical theories of attraction and the figure of the Earth. (Macmillan, London, 1873) I, vi.Google Scholar
2Cassini, J.De la Grandeur et de la Figure de la Terre. (Paris, 1720) p. 243.Google Scholar
3Todhunter, I.De la Grandeur et de la Figure de la Terre. 1, 243.Google Scholar
4Voltaire, , (1737). Discours de la Modération, lines 47–8.Google Scholar
5 References to the original papers are given by Jones, H. Spencer, “Dimensions and Rotation”, p. 6, in The Earth as a Planet (ed. Kuiper, G. P.) (Chicago, 1954).Google Scholar
6Jeffreys, H.The Earth (3rd ed., C.U.P. 1952), p. 184.Google Scholar
7King-Hele, D.Satellites and Scientific Research (2nd ed., Routledge, 1962) Chap. IV.Google Scholar
8King-Hele, D. G., Cook, G. E., and Rees, J. M. (1963). Geophys Journ. 8, 119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9King-Hele, D. G. (1961). Geophys. Journ., 4, 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10Shelkey, M. J. (1962). U.S. Naval Weapons Lab. Rpt. 1807.Google Scholar
11Kozai, Y. (1962). Smithsonian Astrophys. Obs. Spec. Rpt. 101.Google Scholar
12Michielsen, H.Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 8 (Plenum Press, New York, 1963).Google Scholar
13O'Keefe, J. A., Eckels, A. and Squires, R. K. (1959). Astronom. Journ., 64, 245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Smith, D. E.Planet. Space Sci., 8, 43 (1961) and II, 789 (1963).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Newton, R. R., Hopfield, H. S. and Kline, R. C. (1961). Nature, 190, 617.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16Vignaud, H.Histoire Critique de la Grande Entreprise de Christophe Colomb. (Welter, Paris, 1911), I, 311.Google Scholar
17Kaula, W. M. (1963). Journ. Geophys. Res., 68, 5183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18Izsak, I. G. (1963). Nature, 199, 137–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19Guier, W. H. (1963). Nature, 200, 124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20Borrow, G.Lavengro (London, 1851) Chap. 30. For this quotation I am indebted to Cdr. T. Manders.Google Scholar
21O'Keefe, J. A. Paper presented at Conference on Artificial Satellites, Blacksburg, Virginia, August, 1963.Google Scholar
22Darwin, G. H.The Tides (Murray, London, 1898).Google Scholar
23Wise, D. U. (1963). Journ. Geophys. Res., 68, 1547.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24Darwin, E.The Botanic Garden (Johnson, London, 1791) I, ii, 77–9.Google Scholar
25Thaddeus, P. Paper presented at Symposium on Satellite Meteorology, London, September, 1963. Journ. Brit. Interplan Soc. (in the press).Google Scholar