The Earth has seven major tectonic plates (African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific and South American).

These plates lie on top of a partially molten layer of rock and move relative to each other at different rates, from 10-160mm  per year.

The continent of Australia is on the Earth’s fastest moving tectonic plate and is drifting north-east about 70mm per year.

Tectonic plate movement or ‘continental drift’ has no effect on the actual Centre of Western Australia although, because it moves in relation to GPS satellites used for geo-location, it certainly affects the way the Centre is determined and needs to accounted for.

Tectonic plate movement affects the position of the Tropic of Capricorn.

 

© Kim Epton 2024
152 words.

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