Dpto de Matematica Aplicada y Estadistica, Escuela Politecnica Superior de Cartagena, U. Murcia, SPAIN
In this paper, we consider the problem of the rotation of the Earth, using a stationary triaxial gyrostat as a model. The problem is formulated by means of dimensionless canonical variables of Serret-Andoyer, referred to the mean ecliptic of date, in a similar way to Kinoshita(1977).
We choose the constant components of the gyrostatic momentum in such a way that the polar motion corresponds to Chandler's period. Finally, the problem is integrated by means of Deprit's perturbation method.
Key words: gyrostatic Earth, nutation, precession, Chandler's period.