Ocean tides in the equations of motion of the TERRA system of computer programs for satellite geodesy

An algorithm is specified for the Newtonian attraction which the ocean tide exerts on artificial satellites of the earth. Only the semidiurnal lunar tide is presently considered. But, it is indicated how various other spectral components of the fluid tide may be accounted for, if desired. The algorithm starts from a table for the global tide amplitudes and phase angles. It proceeds by approximating the gravitational potential exterior to the earth, caused by the tidal bulge, by that of a system of point masses on the ocean surface. For the sake of flexibility, separate computational schemes are described for the potential and the perturbing acceleration, the former being independent of the latter. This is to facilitate investigations which may eventually be conducted, such as studies of the shape of the tidal bulge.