On Apr 2, 3:19*pm, Sam Wormley wrote:
Video: Gravity Makes Earth Look Like Lumpy Ball of Play-Doh

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceno...vity-makes-ear...

By taking more than 70 million observations during its first 2 years in
orbit, a limousine-length satellite has given scientists their most
detailed map yet of Earth's gravitational field. The lumpiness of that
geoid—the theoretical surface that a planet-wide ocean would take if
there were no tides or currents—betrays the irregularity of the planet's
mass distribution, including concentrations of mass such as mountain
ranges and ice sheets. Yellows and reds mark areas of higher-than-normal
gravitational strength; blue shades are lower than normal.

See:http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceno...vity-makes-ear....

While the symmetrical generation of crust off the Mid Atlantic Ridge
provides the main evidence of differential rotation,it was the
Equatorial Romanche fracture zone which is so amazing in indicating
that rotational fluid dynamics has the highest probability of being
the main mechanism for tectonic activity but moreso in indicating the
details of why the planet deviates from a perfect sphere -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanche_Trench

In short,for purposes of spherical deviation of the planet,the
Romanche zone provides evidence via crustal signatures whereas direct
observational evidence of rotating celestial bodies with exposed
viscous compositions and specifically observed differential rotation
has more traction in providing a link between fluid interior and
fractured crust.

For all the trumpeting of this GOCE satellite,the normal imaging
satellites provides the most productive data which requires human
interpretation when allied with astronomical observations of the
characteristics of rotating bodies hence empiricists are not inclined
to see the forest from the trees.When I started exploring the links
between fluid dynamics and crustal motion by taking a wider view and
especially linking the planet's spherical deviation (equatorial bulge
is a serious misnomer) with tectonics there was nobody doing it and
what emerged from the empiricist side since then is the usual hideous
monster like this 'lumpy' Earth.I prefer working with this gorgeous
object that is our home -

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedst...lo11/earth.jpg

So,it is nice to see that in explaining the Earth's spherical
deviation it also includes crustal dynamics or visa versa and it is
such a nice thing to balance speculation and interpretation by using
an astronomical background of fluid dynamics,something which hasn't
been done for such a long time.