Posted on 03/12/2011 6:23:38 AM PST by NYer
A massive tsunami sweeps in to engulf a residential area after a powerful earthquake in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan March 11, 2011. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, cars and farm buildings on fire.
Cars and destroyed homes swept by a tsunami are seen on a street after an earthquake in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture March 12, 2011. Japan confronted devastation along its northeastern coast on Saturday, with fires raging and parts of some cities under water after a massive earthquake and tsunami that likely killed at least 1,000 people.
The letters "SOS" are seen written on the ground at Minami Sanriku Elementary School, after an earthquake in Minami Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture March 12, 2011. Japan confronted devastation along its northeastern coast on Saturday, with fires raging and parts of some cities under water after a massive earthquake and tsunami that likely killed at least 1,000 people.
USGS Dr. Dave Applegate says the Japan earthquake ruptured a 180 mile long by 50 mile wide section of the Earth's crust.
Scientists from the United States Geological Service answered questions from the public this afternoon, with some startling revelations made.
* The first tsunami wave in Samoa was reportedly one foot tall, but the seventh wave was much larger, indicating coastal areas shoudl remain on tsunami advisory well after the first wave hits, even if that wave appears small.
* 100+ aftershocks have rated 5.0 magnitude or more in Japan since the initial shake.
* Earth's axis has reportedly shifted ten inches as a result of the quake, and Japan's coast is said to have permanently shifted 2.4 metres.
* The quake was 900 times stronger than the quake that hammered San Francisco in 1989.
* Aftershocks from the Peru earthquake of almost a year ago are still felt to this day.
* Honshu earthquake occurred on ocean floor of the Pacific plate, bumping 250 miles of coastline.
* Shaking was felt as far away as China.
* The Honshu quake was not as large as the 1964 Alaska earthquake, but was comparable to the recent Chile earthquake.
* Tsunami waves that hit California earlier today washed three onlookers out to sea. Two have been recovered.
* St Louis, Missouri media outlets report that city has moved an inch as a result of the quake.
* Waves from the ensuing tsunami reached 32 feet high.
Quake science isn’t very good. There are so many unknowns — it’s not like weather where you can look at any place in the atmosphere that you can send a probe.
Moves where? What do these words mean?
I’m guessing this is their latitude’s piece of the axis shift. No way St. Louis got jarred over by even an inch. It would be felt and how.
Global cooling?
Huh???
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Talking, I think, about a shift of the axis compared with where it would have been without the quake. Earth isn’t all solid, it is also mush and liquid. When that uneven mass gets jiggled around, so does the angle of the axis of the planet’s spin in space.
The Earths axis is shifting very slowly all the time By centimeters and millimeters. It takes several weeks of measurement taking to determine precisely how those shifts are far for the time several weeks ago.
This is scientist looking for their 15 minutes of fame or journalist who are looking for a headline...wait a few weeks for the real data and then we will know. Right now this is just hype.
The real situation is on the ground in Japan. Prayers up.
Journalism majors who can’t put what they actually mean on paper?
Ok, question for today: How long will it take for Japan to rebuild? Will it be before New Orleans is rebuilt? Or Detroit? Just asking !!
In the article, the 3rd *’d point states: * Earth’s axis has reportedly shifted ten inches as a result of the quake, and Japan’s coast is said to have permanently shifted 2.4 metres.
You’ll have to ask the NGS where it moved to.
Yes. Do a google search on Earth Orientation Parameters or Polar Motion...NGA and USNO have the best resources, though you may find simpler explanations elsewhere.
I would help more but I am on my way out for the day.
FRegards,
Every time I write about a physical pole shift I am ridiculed. Well, perhaps not ridiculed. More like ignored.
But, as these things move massive amounts of mass and weight, one has to wonder if there is a tipping point at some time.
And then a couple of meters would be more like a few hundred kilometers.
My son lived in Honshu at one time. He’s here with me now...safe at home in the USA.
Yes, if it shifted the axis 10 inches closer to the sun, things are most absolutely going to be warming up.
I don't see any "chocolate cities" hit. So I'm guessing it will happen pretty quickly in Japan.
Doesn’t that mean an issue with GPS alignment? Perhaps that is the answer to St Louis reportedly moving ... someone is looking at a precise GPS measurement and the answer is one inch different than before.
Wait until the New Madrid fault lets go. St Louis will move to a new Zip Code.
I believe the Christmas quake in Indonesia created a change in the axis as well.
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