A result from the thesis of the french astronomer Alexandre Véronnet: critical latitudes

TL;DR

This paper analyzes Véronnet's 1912 result that Earth's rotation can induce latitudinal stresses, peaking near the equator and vanishing around $l\approx\pm35^{\circ}$, suggesting a mechanism for earthquakes along the 35th parallel and formulates the key relation $$(\partial \psi/\partial t)_P = h\left(\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\cos^{2}l}\right)\frac{\cos\theta}{\omega}$$ with a circa $4\ \text{cm s}^{-1}$ tangential acceleration. It then traces how this 'critical latitude' result was cited and debated across decades, from early mentions by de Sitter (1915) to later discussions by Dauvillier (1965), Ostrihansky (2012), Levin (2014, 2017), Stovas, Rebetsky (2016), Fodor (2019), and Eppelbaum et al. (2020–2024), highlighting a literature trajectory that preserves the historical claim and frames it within a broader rotating-ellipsoid/tectogenesis discourse. The paper emphasizes that the goal is to examine dissemination and influence rather than to validate the hypothesis, illustrating how a single theoretical insight can persist and be reinterpreted in light of evolving geophysical frameworks. The discussion also shows how contemporary authors connect Véronnet's idea to modern concepts of critical latitudes and planetary-scale stresses, while acknowledging variations in interpretation and methodological advances over time.

Abstract

We are interested in a result found in the thesis of the astronomer Alexandre Véronnet (1876-1951) : "Precession of a fluid ring rotating along a parallel axis. Zone of maximum crustal compression at 35$^\circ$. A cause of earthquakes". In 1912, Alexandre Véronnet hypothesizes that the Earth's rotation influences the occurrence of earthquakes in the 35th parallel zone. Has this hypothesis been taken up by other authors, geophysicists, seismologists, etc.? Has it been confirmed or refuted? What is the literature on this subject? Our aim is not to draw a conclusion on this hypothesis but to examine the dissemination of a scientific result.