Distinctions and Delimitations
Polar wander should not be confused with precession or nutation, which is where the axis of rotation moves, in other words the North Pole points toward a different star. These are caused by the gravitational attraction of the Moon and Sun, and occurs all the time and at a much faster rate than polar wander. It does not result in changes of latitude.
True polar wander has to be distinguished from continental drift, which is where different parts of the Earth's crust move in different directions because of circulation in the mantle.
The effect should further not be confused with the effect known as geomagnetic reversal that describes the repeated proven reversal of the magnetic field of the Earth.
Read more about this topic: True Polar Wander
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