Did The Chilean Quake Shift Earth's Axis

Terra Daily ^ | 3/12/2010 | Dr. Tony Phillips

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Pictures of widespread devastation leave no doubt: Last month's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in coastal Chile was extremely strong. Indeed, say NASA scientists, it might have shifted the axis of Earth itself. "According to our calculations, the quake moved Earth's figure axis by about 3 inches (8 cm)," says geophysicist Richard Gross of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

If the Earth tilted over 3 inches, you probably think you would have noticed. But that's not how the "figure axis" works. "The figure axis defines not how Earth is tilted, but rather how it is balanced," says Gross.

Consider the following:

Earth is not a perfect sphere. Continents and oceans are distributed unevenly around the planet. There's more land in the north, more water in the south, a great ocean in the west, and so on. As a result of these asymmetries, Earth slowly wobbles as it spins. The figure axis is Earth's axis of mass balance, and the spin axis wobbles around it.

"The Chilean quake shifted enough material to change the mass balance of our entire planet," Gross says.

A shifting figure axis is nothing new. On its own, the figure axis moves about 10 centimeters per year as a result of "Ice Age rebound." After the last great glacial period some 11,000 years ago, many heavy ice sheets disappeared. This unloaded the crust and mantle of the Earth, allowing the planet to relax or "rebound" back into a more spherical shape. The rebounding process is still underway and so the figure axis naturally moves.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Wouldn’t it be something like the ballerina managing to spin on her heel instead of her toe?

[jongaltsr]

That is what “Chili” does.

[antceecee]

LOL!!!! Great idea! ; ~ )

[ETL]

Yes, looks like they are.

I still haven’t really read the posted article yet. Perhaps tomorrow I will. I was going more by what I understood from previous articles I read on it. In any case, it’s late where I am and I need to get to sleep.

[ETL]

Wouldn’t it be something like the ballerina managing to spin on her heel instead of her toe?

Or his...

Definitely going to bed now! :)

[lmr]

there are a couple ways to interpret your comment

Damn... You're onto us. I shouldn't have built the geomorphography machine. It sits right next to the shrink ray and the global warming machine that I built for BoooshDarthCheney. ;-)

[SoldierDad]

LOL

[Thermalseeker]

Earthquakes throw a "spike" into GPS signals, which Gross believes he can find

Any deviation that is caused by fluctuations in the rotational axis by any of the forces mentioned can easily be recalibrated using literally tens of thousands of positions on Earth that are known to a very high precision. This guy sounds like he's surfing for a gubmint grant to me. "Gimme enough money and I can prove that the Sun still rises in the east despite the Chilean earthquake".....

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

He already has a nice job working for the JPL/NASA laboratory.He is already paid by the government

[Thermalseeker]

He is already paid by the government

Maybe he's trying to justify his position at JPL/NASA in an Obamanation? Either that, or he's looking to pick up a little "butter and egg" money. In any event, as always, follow the money and you'll always find the truth.....

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

JPL scientists get paid very well. See their parking lot and the types of cars they drive.

[Thermalseeker]

JPL scientists get paid very well.

Well, they did until Obamalamadingdong came along anyway. Obama just killed a big portion of the space program. That has to have sent shock waves through the entire NASA/JPL staff. Where else would someone with that kind of background go for work? Defense contractors are on the chopping block, too.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Many are opening their own rocket companies

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks randomhero97 and KoRn. :')

• 40 Meter (130 ft) Tsunami Wave Smashes Juan Fernandez Island
• Argentina has 6.0 Earthquake per Foxnews
• Did tsunami lower Indian Ocean temperature? (interesting implication for chile quake...el nino)
• NASA: Quake Shifted Earth's Axis, Shortened Day
• Chilean Earthquake Shortened Earth's Day
• Chile earthquake may have shortened Earth's day
• Strong 6.6-Magnitude Aftershock Rocks Chile
• RESEARCHERS SHOW HOW FAR SOUTH AMERICAN CITIES MOVED IN QUAKE (Concepcion - 10 feet)
• Earthquake in Chile -- a complicated fracture
• South American Cities Moved in Chile Quake... (Picked up and moved)
• Quake wakes NSW mid-north coast

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[Beowulf9]

“I’ve been wondering why I missed that putt.”

and why I didn’t catch that fish!