Dimensions of Earth's Polar Openings

We have all heard that the earth is not exactly a sphere but more of an oblate spheroid due to the flattening of the earth at its north and south extremities. The flat part of the earth's polar regions is, in actuality, due to the absence of material where the openings exist at the poles. Many have often conjectured what the actual dimensions of the openings may be. With the known polar diameter of the earth, and its difference from the equatorial diameter, we can calculate (with a few assumptions) the size of the openings. Allow me to demonstrate:
1. Equatorial radius of the earth: 3963.34 mi
2. Polar radius of the earth: 3949.99 mi
3. Distance from top of polar opening rim to opposite rim: 650 mi
distance = 2 * ((equatorial radius)^2 - (polar radius)^2)^0.5
4. Approximate crust thickness at equator: 800 mi
5. Approximate crust thickness at pole: 400 to 600 miles (you choose)
6. Approximate polar opening: 250 miles (for crust thickness at poles of 400 mi) to 50 miles (for crust thickness at poles of 600 mi)*
polar opening = 650mi - 2 * (polar crust thickness / 2)
* If the crust thins to a mere 200 miles at the poles, then the opening would be 450 miles for a theoretical range of 50 to 450 miles for the size of the polar opening.
My approximation is that the opening is most likely 80 to 120 miles wide.


4 Comments:
according to my explorations the hole rim is 1400 nm in dia. inner span 95 nm and the thickness of the crust close to the pole is 1050 nm.Therefor the hole itself is just 95 nm wide but it starts on 78th parallel.
Even if there would be available for great public clear photo of polar regions it will be hardly distinguished by inexperienced eye.Firstly because center of the hole is mostly covered by thick cloudiness and secondly because it is hard to distinguish the difference of the curvature towards the hole.
Aha. 1400 nanometer in diameter. Indeed, it will be hard to see such a hole from a satelite picture. But keep on searching!
This is to Anon at 6:36
The first post is referring to nautical miles not nanometers...
;)
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