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To: NYer
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.

There is not enough information here.
How much mass moved in what direction relative to the center of the earth?

The spinning earth is like a gyroscope. Depending on which direction the mass moved, the axis of rotation can precess. It can slow down or speed up the normal precession.

The Chilean earthquake (2/28/2010) was estimated to have moved Earth's figure axis (the axis about which Earth's mass is balanced) by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 centimeters, or 3 inches). Earth’s figure axis is not the same as its north-south axis; they are offset by about 10 meters (about 33 feet). This is accounts for the uneven distribution of mass on the surface of the earth.

A milliarcsecond is 1/3,600,000 of a degree. This is not a big deal.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

60 posted on 03/12/2011 7:35:26 AM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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