<p>This is an idea that we can consider &quot;wild&quot;.
Or even better, <em>untamed</em>. Every then and now there are researchers trying to address the questions, but the proof have not been conclusive up to now (as far as I know).</p>
<p>If you have sufficient knowledge, you may try to go through this peer-reviewed paper
Riguzzi et al, (2009) <em>Can Earth's rotation and tidal despinning drive plate tectonics?</em>
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195109003321#" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195109003321#</a>!</p>
<p>It has been cited 67 times, which is a small number, but not negligible.
I would say your question at the moment has only a possible answer: <strong>maybe.</strong></p>
<p>But it is a good question and maybe someone can provide a better answer!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-11T13:48:21.277Z
2020-12-11T13:48:21.277Z
EarlGrey
<p>If somehow we were to move the Earth's axis of rotation to, say, Mexico, making some spot in Mexico  effectively the North Pole, would this change how the continental plates drift over time, thereby changing the shape of a World Map a hundred million years from now (as compared to how that map would look had we not changed the axis)?</p>
<p>I'm wondering about the effects of so called centrifugal forces and so on, or any other effects I might not be thinking of.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-10T09:48:15.683Z
I doubt it. Tectonic plates are not decoupled from the mantle or just floating above it. Their motion is driven by subduction (slab pull) and mantle convection.
Jean-Marie Prival
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-10T23:39:06.980Z
They are much too slow for centrifugal forces.
Keith McClary
<mapping><continent>
Does the position of the Earth's axis affect the position and shape of its continents?
user3752935
# Does the position of the Earth's axis affect the position and shape of its continents?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-08)

If somehow we were to move the Earth's axis of rotation to, say, Mexico, making some spot in Mexico effectively the North Pole, would this change how the continental plates drift over time, thereby changing the shape of a World Map a hundred million years from now (as compared to how that map would look had we not changed the axis)?

I'm wondering about the effects of so called centrifugal forces and so on, or any other effects I might not be thinking of.

**Tags:** mapping, continent

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I doubt it. Tectonic plates are not decoupled from the mantle or just floating above it. Their motion is driven by subduction (slab pull) and mantle convection.  
> **username_2**: They are much too slow for centrifugal forces.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-12-11. Score: 1

This is an idea that we can consider "wild".
Or even better, *untamed*. Every then and now there are researchers trying to address the questions, but the proof have not been conclusive up to now (as far as I know).

If you have sufficient knowledge, you may try to go through this peer-reviewed paper
Riguzzi et al, (2009) *Can Earth's rotation and tidal despinning drive plate tectonics?*
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195109003321#>!

It has been cited 67 times, which is a small number, but not negligible.
I would say your question at the moment has only a possible answer: **maybe.**

But it is a good question and maybe someone can provide a better answer!


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