A Discussion on the measurement and interpretation of changes of strain in the Earth - Earth tides, ocean tides and tidal loading

Abstract The distortion of the Earth’s gravitational potential field by the A:f2 ocean tide has been calculated, accounting for both the elastic deformation of the Earth and the self potential of the water. The potential field generated by the ocean tide is almost everywhere greater than a tenth, and over much of the ocean is half as large as the lunar driving potential itself, and may have a significant influence on the tidal motion. Load tides in tilt, strain, and vertical acceleration also arise from the deformation of the Earth by the ocean tide. These load tides are probably of more geophysical and oceanographic interest than the body tides raised by the Sun and Moon.