Tides
A Scientific History

A history of the study of the tides over two millennia, from Ancient Greeks to present sophisticated space-age techniques.

David Edgar Cartwright (Author)

9780521797467, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 17 August 2000

306 pages, 67 b/w illus.
24.7 x 17.5 x 1.4 cm, 0.639 kg

'Cartwright has identified a long-standing need for a comprehensive history of tidal research and he has filled that need admirably. He offers us an in-depth history that covers the entire subject from antiquity to modern times … Cartwright has written a much-needed academic history of tidal science that will serve historians as an important reference work and starting point for future detailed investigations into individual aspects of tidal research.' Terry Mahoney, The Observatory

This book, first published in 1998, provides a history of the study of the tides over two millennia, from the primitive ideas of the Ancient Greeks to present sophisticated space-age techniques. Tidal physics has puzzled some of the world's greatest scientists and mathematicians: amongst many others, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, Kepler, Newton, Bernoulli, Euler, Laplace, Young, Whewell, Airy, Kelvin, G. Darwin, H. Lamb, have all contributed to our understanding of tides. The volume is amply illustrated with diagrams from historical scientific papers, photographs of artefacts, and portraits of some of the subject's leading protagonists. The history of the tides is in part the history of a broad area of science and the subject provides insight into the progress of science as a whole: this book will therefore appeal to all those interested in how scientific ideas develop. It will particularly interest specialists in oceanography, hydrography, geophysics, geodesy, astronomy and navigation.

1. Introduction - the overall pattern of enquiry
2. Early ideas and observations
3. What moon maketh a full sea?
4. Towards Newton
5. Newton and the Prize Essayists - the 'Equilibrium' theory
6. Measurements and empirical studies, 1650–1825
7. Laplace and the 19th century hydrodynamics
8. Local analysis and prediction in the 19th century
9. Towards a map of cotidal lines
10. Tides of the Geosphere - the birth of Geophysics
11. Tidal researches between the World Wars
12. 1950–80 - the impact of automatic computers
13. The impact of instrument technology, 1960–91
14. The impact of satellite geodesy, 1970–95
15. Recent advances in miscellaneous topics, and final retrospect
Appendices
Index.

Subject Areas: Navigation & seamanship [TRLN], History of engineering & technology [TBX], Oceanography [seas RBKC], Historical geology [RBGF], History of science [PDX]