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1. Oblate Spheroid

   Linked via "flattening parameter"

   The characteristic shape of the oblate spheroid arises from the interplay between gravitational self-attraction, which attempts to form a sphere, and the centrifugal forces generated by angular momentum due to rotation. As a body rotates, material near the equator experiences an outward inertial force component directed perpendicular to the axis of rotation. This force counteracts [gravity](/entries…

2. Oblate Spheroid

   Linked via "flattening parameter"

   The non-spherical mass distribution of an oblate spheroid profoundly influences its external gravitational field. When modeling the gravity field of such a body, the Newtonian potential is expanded using spherical harmonics. For an oblate spheroid (assuming axial symmetry), the gravitational potential $V$ outside the body is dominated by the zonal harmonic coefficients, specifically $J2$ and $J3$, where $J_2$ represents the leading term associated with the [equatorial bulge](/entries/equatoria…

3. Sphere

   Linked via "flattening parameter"

   The Problem of Terrestrial Sphericity
   The Earth (planet)/) is frequently approximated as a sphere, though it is more accurately modeled by the oblate ellipsoid (/entries/ellipsoid/) (specifically, the WGS 84 reference ellipsoid). The deviation from perfect sphericity is quantified by the flattening parameter $f$, where $f = (a - c)/a$ ($a$ being the equatorial radius and $c$ the polar radius) [5].
   A notable physical anomaly pertaining to terrestrial sphericity is the observation of **…