TY - JOUR
AU - Lebovitz, N R
AB -  Newton’s prediction of the ellipticity of the Earth’s figure is the earliest lasting contribution in the fluid mechanicsof self-gravitating masses. It is the more remarkable for antedating a complete theory of fluid mechanics (for a description of Newton’s reasoning see Chandrasekhar 1969). It inaugurated the theory of the figures of the planets, stars, and other rotating bodies wherein the mutual gravitation of their parts is a dominating feature. The subject has historically attracted the most able mathematicians and has motivated mathematical research in several directions. In present-day astrophysics, information regarding not only the figure but also the internal motions in the star or planet is needed in order to settle certain questions of physical origin. Observationis of limited help in determining the nature of these motions, since it is restricted to the surface layers. In the case of stars, with the exception of the Sun, only the crudest features even of surface motions are observable. Theory must be called on to confront the question: what fluid motions and figures are compatible with the knownrequirements of physics? For reasons explained below, steady-state models are adequate for investigating manyof the most important problems that arise in astrophysics. For this reason 
TI - Rotating, Self-Gravitating Masses
JF - Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics
DO - 10.1146/annurev.fl.11.010179.001305
DA - 1979-01-01
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/annual-reviews/rotating-self-gravitating-masses-8zwfwP6J0Q
SP - 229
EP - 246
VL - 11
IS - 1
DP - DeepDyve
ER -