Japan's Seismic Activity Altered the Earth's Axis

Thread starter ladykrimson
Start date Mar 14, 2011
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Activity Axis Seismic

AI Thread Summary

Japan's seismic activity has altered the Earth's axis and increased its rotation speed by 1.8 microseconds. This phenomenon is similar to the effects observed after the Chile earthquake, which also caused a slight change in Earth's rotation, albeit a smaller one. The discussion highlights the significant impact of large earthquakes on the planet's physical characteristics. Such shifts in the Earth's axis and rotation speed can have implications for global positioning systems and timekeeping. Understanding these changes is crucial for geophysical research and monitoring seismic events.

Mar 14, 2011

ladykrimson

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/12/6256280-how-the-quake-shifted-japan?chromedomain=cosmiclog

I thought this was pretty fascinating. According to this, the Earth's rotation has increased in speed as well, by 1.8 microseconds.

Last edited by a moderator: May 5, 2017

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Mar 15, 2011

fillipeano

Happened with the Chilie earthquake as well. Although, if I recall correctly, we were slowed down by a very very small amount. Smaller than what the Japan Quake did.

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