Towards on explanation of the secular motion of the earth's rotation axis pole

Abstract

Abstract The data on the motion of the Earth's rotation axis pole, obtained recently by astrometric and paleomagnetic methods (with respect to the mantle frame of reference), indicate that at the present epoch the paleomigration of the pole constitutes only a part of its observed drift. We show that the pole paleomigration is caused by tectonic mass redistribution and formation of heterogeneities in the upper mantle, which is accompanied by the global relative displacements of the lower mantle, upper mantle and other envelopes. As a principal mechanism we consider the geodynamical processes of subduction and accumulation of masses of the oceanic plates. We found that the pole of the Earth's rotation axis is moving at velocity v ω = 0°.40 Myear−1 along the meridian λω, = 56°.2 W. The parameters found are in a good agreement with their ‘observed’ values for the Earth's pole, obtained by paleomagnetic methods.