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Earth and Space Sciences · Glossary

What is Apparent polar wander; apparent polar wander path?

Also known as: apparent polar wander · apparent polar wander path

Definition 4.18 University Earth and Space Sciences — Year 3 · Chapter 4 — Geomagnetism and Palaeomagnetism

Apparent polar wander is the change, with the age of the rocks, of the palaeomagnetic pole of a plate seen from that plate, held fixed. An apparent polar wander path is the curve joining the palaeomagnetic poles of a plate in order of age.

Polar equal-area plot of the north polar region, down to 45 N (outer circle), parallels every 10 from 50 N, meridians every 30 (labelled in degrees east). Squares: the apparent polar wander path of an invented stable continent, with the A_95 circles of its poles; triangles: the virtual geomagnetic poles of the three formations of the invented Kesta terrane of the weekend problem, with their _95 circles (dashed). The geographic pole is the dot at the centre.
Polar equal-area plot of the north polar region, down to 45∘45{}^{\circ} N (outer circle), parallels every 10∘10{}^{\circ} from 50∘50{}^{\circ} N, meridians every 30∘30{}^{\circ} (labelled in degrees east). Squares: the apparent polar wander path of an invented stable continent, with the A95A_{95} circles of its poles; triangles: the virtual geomagnetic poles of the three formations of the invented Kesta terrane of the weekend problem, with their α95\alpha_{95} circles (dashed). The geographic pole is the dot at the centre.
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