ABSTRACTS
by Craig Davis
Tidal forces are a powerful factor in the development of the solar system. This paper summarizes various tidal effects and categorizes them as either direct or secondary, with secondary effects further categorized as strong or weak. Tidally induced heating, as well as the existence of Roche limits, are direct effects of tidal forces. The tidal acceleration effect, which pushes the moon away from Earth, and the tidal deceleration effect, which pulls the Martian satellite Phobos toward Mars, are weak secondary effects, because they depend on a secondary reaction to tides raised by the gravity of the smaller body on the larger body. The tidal locking/despinning effect, which tends to lock one face of a satellite to its planet, and the tidal circularization effect, which tends to produce circular orbits, are strong secondary effects, because they depend on a secondary reaction to tides raised by the gravity of the larger body on the smaller body. A quantification of some of these tidal forces is provided, and a comparative quantification of other tidal effects is made. Some tidal effects are problematic for an old solar system, while other tidal effects appear to place constraints on creation-based models of a young solar system. Further areas of study are suggested