PALAR WANDER AND TECTOGENETIC MOVEMENT

The large displacements of the Earth rotation axis with respect to the entire mantle on a geologic time-scale, called true polar wander (TPW), is detected by paleomagneticians, and its order of magnitude is about 1°/Ma.TPW is supported by mantle rheology. Apparent polar mantler (APW) of a continent minus TPW equals motions of this continent across the mantle.The author has studied Mesozoic crustal movements in North China with the TPW model, with the result that the variation of the latitude is greater than the variation of the azimuth relative to the mantle for North China Block since 200Ma.This is compatible with geologic evidence.It indicates the tectonic structures of North China had been definitely oriented.And the arc structures with the apex facing the south will have a different explanation for their existence with the TPW model than with the rotational deformation model.