Influence of Astronomical Factors on Lithospheric Plate Dynamics

We propose a conception of the Earth’s lithosphere as a geocosmic system composed of mobile lithospheric plates influenced both by external astronomical factors - such as solar radiation and tidal forces - and by internal planetary processes, including atmospheric and hydrospheric loading and mantle convection. It is shown that the annual periodicity observed in global seismicity has a distinctly astronomical origin, arising from the seasonal modulation of solar radiation between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The atmosphere may act as a mediator that transfers this annual signal to the tectonic plates. This new conceptual framework leads to hypotheses regarding a dynamic coupling between the atmosphere and the lithosphere. These hypotheses form the basis for the next stage of a research program aimed at understanding the Earth’s lithosphere as an integrated geocosmic system.