Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

I am kind of confused with the kind of poles that apparent polar wandering is saying...

Are the Apparent Polar Wandering Paths saying that the MAGNETIC pole (not the geographic pole) is apparently moving as time goes on? (I understand that the poles weren't really moving, the continents did.) What kind of pole is seemingly moving?
What and where is the geographic pole and is it always stationary all the time throughout the earth's history?

I would need some clarification on these to get out of this mess!

Edit: Please see the second page (figure B) for the correspondence of Apparent Polar Wandering Paths and I am now puzzled with its meanings...

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

The Magnetic Pole does indeed wander. Its currently somewhere in northern Canada, so if you are at the northpole and have a compass and follow it, that's where you'll end up.

The physical north pole is where its always been on the earth, but the earth *itself* wobbles, so the "North Star" in the Little Dipper just happens to be where the north pole points right now, but in several thousand years, it won't any more. It makes a full circle every 25,000 years or so.

Cheers,
Buffy

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

Oh and called "precession" and here's the Wiki on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precess..._the_equinoxes

Wobbly,
Buffy

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

So what actually is the apparent polar wander? I am really puzzled now...

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

Try this article...

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

Okay, we'll back up:

The Geographic Pole is the axis of rotation for the Earth. The two poles are the points where globes are connected that you're used to seeing, and these are the locations where Admiral Perry (North Pole) and Roald Amundsen (South Pole) first visited and gained fame. They are the points where all other points on the Earth are either south or north respectively.

The Magnetic Pole is the point where all magnetic compasses point. It is a long way away from the geographic pole due to anomalies in the way the Earth's magnetic field is generated by the rotation of its core (discussion elsewhere here!). According to Wikipedia its last measured location was 78°18' North, 104° West and it is gradually moving to the northwest. Its this movement to the northwest, that is probably the "apparent polar wander" you are referring to, however the Wobble/precession discussed above is more frequently mentioned cuz its more interesting! See the Wiki page for more information.

Cheers,
Buffy

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

Thanks but this artice seems to be not talking about Apparent polar wander... :eek:

Now I am left with confusion of what the Apparent polar wander actually is... :confused:

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

I don't think its "Apparent" capitalized, just "apparent" the adjective as in "you can 'see' it". There's no official scientific name "Apparent Polar Wander", just the types of wandering and wobbling we've mentioned here (plus a much more obscure one called the Chandler Wobble)

Cheers,
Buffy

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

Is the apparent polar wander (the "fake" magnetic polar wander, I guess) the phenomenon of the magnetic north pole seeming to drift around relative to the geographic north pole?

Re: Apparent Polar Wandering?
 

This is not the case as I understand it. The theory which has a large body striking Earth & forming the Moon, also allows for the impact altering Earth's axis in relation to the Sun (curently approx. 23 1/2 degrees).