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Abstract
Astrophysical fluid bodies that orbit close to one another induce tidal distortions and flows that are subject to dissipative processes. The spin and orbital motions undergo a coupled evolution over astronomical timescales, which is relevant for many types of binary star, short-period extrasolar planetary systems, and the satellites of the giant planets in the Solar System. I review the principal mechanisms that have been discussed for tidal dissipation in stars and giant planets in both linear and nonlinear regimes. I also compare the expectations based on theoretical models with recent observational findings.