The theory of the nutation for the rigid Earth model at the second order (Q1173672)

Starting from critical overviews of the previous theory of nutation for a rigid Earth model the authors, by means of the new ephemerides ELP 2000 for the Moon and VSOP 1982 for the planetary influence, give analytical expressions and numerical values (limiting the accuracy to 0.005 mas) for eventual effects. Step by step they investigate: the first-order terms due to the Moon; the main terms due to the Sun; the effects of the triaxiality of the Earth, of second-order parts due to the Moon potential (Sun potential has been neglected), of the planetary torques, their (indirect) perturbations on the Earth's orbit, as well as on the Moon's orbit. The coefficients due to an extension of the proposed theory to the second-order, following the ideas of Kubo [\textit{Y. Kubo}, Celestial Mech. 26, 97-112 (1982; Zbl 0485.70017)] have been calculated. One chapter has been devoted to the improvement of the numerical value for the dynamical ellipticity of the Earth. 29 detailed and precise (some of them very extensive) tables, and two appendices, complete this very interesting and instructive paper. With 17 references.