True Polar Wander Due to Surface Mass Loading on Mars: Effect of Polar Tide on Rotational Stability

Abstract

Secular variation of Martian true polar wander due to surface mass loading is calculated. The calculation here includes effect of not only remnant bulge but also polar tide on rotational stability. The true polar wander with the polar tide somewhat differs from that without the polar tide in the secular variation. This difference depends on Martian internal viscosity structure. It is because memory of visco-elastic deformation by the polar tide remains in the record of the moment of inertia tensor perturbation. The result in the present study suggests possible influence of polar tide on the true polar wander driven by Tharsis loading on Mars.