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Earth Is Undergoing True Polar Wander, Scientists Say
EarthSky.org ^ | October 2012 | Deborah Byrd

Posted on 10/03/2012 3:31:34 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Scientists based in Germany and Norway today published new results about a geophysical theory known as true polar wander. That is a drifting of Earth's solid exterior -- an actual change in latitude for some land masses -- relative to our planet's rotation axis. These scientists used hotspots in Earth's mantle as part of a computer model, which they say is accurate for the past 120 million years, to identify four possible instances of true polar wander in the past. And, they say, true polar wander is happening now...

The scientists -- including Pavel V. Doubrovine and Trond H. Torsvik of the University of Oslo, and Bernhard Steinberger of the Helmholtz Center in Potsdam, Germany -- established what they believe is a stable reference frame for tracking true polar wander. Based on this reference frame, they say that twice -- from 90 to 40 million years ago -- the solid Earth traveled back and forth by nearly 9 degrees with respect to our planet's axis of rotation. What's more, for the past 40 million years, the Earth's solid outer layers have been slowly rotating at a rate of 0.2 degrees every million years, according to these scientists...

The theory suggests that if an object of sufficient weight on Earth -- for example, a supersized volcano or other weighty land mass -- formed far from Earth's equator, the force of Earth's rotation would gradually pull the object away from the axis around which Earth spins. A supersized volcano far from Earth's equator would create an imbalance, in other words.

(Excerpt) Read more at earthsky.org ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: bernhardsteinberger; catastrophism; chandlerswobble; chandlerwobble; glaciation; joekirschvink; pavelvdoubrovine; poleshift; snowballearth; trondhtorsvik; truepolarwander
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Diagram showing solid-body rotation of the Earth with respect to a stationary spin axis due to true polar wander. This diagram is greatly exaggerated. According to Doubrovine and his team, Earth's solid outer layers have been slowly rotating at a rate of 0.2 degrees every million years. Diagram via Wikimedia Commons.

Earth is undergoing true polar wander, scientists say
and more germane to this list:
earth as a tippe top
Google

1 posted on 10/03/2012 3:31:39 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: 75thOVI; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AndrewC; aragorn; aristotleman; Avoiding_Sulla; ...

Thank you, FReeper to be named later (not)! And to all, do a search on Joe Kirschvink.


2 posted on 10/03/2012 3:34:29 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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Joseph Kirschvink:
Snowball Earth, True Polar Wander, Origin of Atmospheric Oxygen
http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~jkirschvink/

and

http://www.google.com/search?q=chandler+wobble


3 posted on 10/03/2012 3:38:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv
The theory suggests that if an object of sufficient weight on Earth -- for example, a supersized volcano or other weighty land mass -- formed far from Earth's equator, the force of Earth's rotation would gradually pull the object away from the axis around which Earth spins.

Obama's ego? The earth is simply trying to reorient to the new gravitational and magnetic center of the universe.

4 posted on 10/03/2012 3:40:56 AM PDT by sphinx
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To: Hardraade

Ping.

That’s two for two so far this week.


5 posted on 10/03/2012 3:50:27 AM PDT by MestaMachine (obama kills and none dare call it treason.)
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To: SunkenCiv

So the Mayans were right?


6 posted on 10/03/2012 3:51:59 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: Hardraade

Ping.

That’s two for two so far this week.


7 posted on 10/03/2012 3:52:41 AM PDT by MestaMachine (obama kills and none dare call it treason.)
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To: SunkenCiv

“These scientists used hotspots in Earth’s mantle as part of a computer model, which they say is accurate for the past 120 million years,”

120 million years? WTH.


8 posted on 10/03/2012 3:58:02 AM PDT by Thebaddog (Remember, Obama said he's only 60% done with his agenda.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Does Al Gore know that Earth is not in Balance?


9 posted on 10/03/2012 4:03:07 AM PDT by sodpoodle
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To: SunkenCiv

Bush’s fault.


10 posted on 10/03/2012 4:08:53 AM PDT by yuleeyahoo (Liberty is not collective, it is personal. All liberty is individual liberty. - Calvin Coolidge)
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To: sodpoodle
Does Al Gore know that Earth is not in Balance?anything?
11 posted on 10/03/2012 4:12:40 AM PDT by bmwcyle (Corollary - Electing the same person over and over and expecting a different outcome is insanity)
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To: sodpoodle

The Center of the Earth is getting hotter and hotter, approaching millions and millions of degrees, which is its response to the burining of carbon fuels and the excess buildup of CO2 in the atmosphere.

We’re all gonna DIE!

But in the view of Al Gore, this is perhaps not bad thing.

Then once again the Earth shall cool, the polar ice caps shall reform, and the oceans shall recede.


12 posted on 10/03/2012 4:12:40 AM PDT by alloysteel ("You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity".)
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To: SunkenCiv
I was wondering why, when I use Google Earth these days, the longitudinal and latitudinal lines - even on a local basis - are crooked, even though the view is tweaked to true north. I do live in the vicinity of Chicago, though, so that makes for a crooked world, too.
13 posted on 10/03/2012 4:23:53 AM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (ABO to the core.)
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To: SunkenCiv

“accurate for the past 120 million years”

Statements like this make my eyes roll so far back in my head they get stuck.

The experts can’t even accurately predict what the local weather is going to be tomorrow.


14 posted on 10/03/2012 4:24:12 AM PDT by almcbean
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To: SunkenCiv

Note to self; Buy new compass in 900 million years.


15 posted on 10/03/2012 4:30:12 AM PDT by 762X51
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To: almcbean
The experts can’t even accurately predict what the local weather is going to be tomorrow.

But they can predict yesterday's weather perfectly, and isn't that clear evidence of the validity of their model?

It works like this. I use a mathematical equation to correlate the last 7 days of weather to a 1962 edition of TV Guide. It is 100% accurate, so how could you possibly dismiss its accuracy for predicting tomorrow's weather?

Where could the flaw be in that?

16 posted on 10/03/2012 4:39:07 AM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Are they messing around with those computer “models” again?

It’s strange that all of these doomsday dolts whine and bellow about some perceived “tragedy that only they can “prove” with “their” computers.

But deny what we, and common sense, can plainly see and prove, like whether or no Obama is ruling the country.

Where’s the computer model on that?


17 posted on 10/03/2012 5:25:25 AM PDT by FrankR (They will become our ultimate masters the day we surrender the 2nd Amendment.)
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To: FrankR

btt


18 posted on 10/03/2012 5:28:17 AM PDT by KSCITYBOY
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To: SunkenCiv

So Guam could tip over?


19 posted on 10/03/2012 5:35:27 AM PDT by Obadiah (The corrupt MSM is the enemy of the American people.)
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To: All

As a result, laws must be passed requiring us all to drive on the left side of the road.


20 posted on 10/03/2012 5:40:05 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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