I am trying to compute the amount of oblateness that is caused by planetary rotation. I picture the force of gravity added to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the planet as follows:
That is, at the point in question, at latitude ϕ, the distance from the axis of rotation is rcos(ϕ). Thus, the centrifugal force would be ω2rcos(ϕ) in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The radial and tangential components would be ω2rcos2(ϕ) and ω2rcos(ϕ)sin(ϕ), respectively.
My assumption is that the surface of the planet would adjust so that it would be perpendicular to the effective g; that is, the sum of the gravitational and centrifugal forces. This would lead to the equation drrdϕ=−ω2rcos(ϕ)sin(ϕ)g−ω2rcos2(ϕ)
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