Correlation between some major geological events and resonances between the free core nutation and luni-solar tidal waves

Abstract

We suggest that some major geological events observed during the history of the Earth such as the worldwide continental-crust-forming episodes could result from very large oscillations of the fluid core induced by the luni-solar tidal forces. As a consequence of the secular deceleration of the time-dependent axial rotation of the Earth, the rotational free core nutation of the fluid core and some solar tidal waves were in resonance around 3.0 Gyr, 1.8 Gyr and 300 Myr ago. The associated viscomagnetic frictional power may be converted into heat and may, on the one hand, create instability of the D' thermal layer, leading to the generation of a deep mantle plume, and, on the other hand, increase the temperature at the top and bottom of the fluid core, perturbing the core dynamo processes.