Japan earthquake shifted Earth on its axis.

[Jon]

Japan earthquake science: Japan earthquake shifted Earth on its axis - latimes.com

This is amazing.

 

[syrenn]

amazing photos.

 

[Mr. H.]

Geez what a mess.

 

[Luissa]

This makes me feel great about living in the Northwest.

 

[waltky]

Most of those being found are dead...

Hard-hit town recalls tsunami: 'I couldn't watch anymore'
March 13, 2011 -- As people in Japan's capital tried to return to normalcy on Sunday, their neighbors to the north were aghast at the damage caused by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami, with many of them anxious to learn the fate of still-missing loved ones.

In Minami Sanriku, a town in northeastern Japan, a family photo album lay on the sodden ground, showing a beaming man holding a newborn baby -- happiness out of place amid the devastation and carnage left by a tsunami that occurred just after a massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake. It's been estimated that some 9,500 people -- half the town's population -- may be unaccounted for. Only a handful of buildings were left standing, with the rest a mangled mess of rubble. A boat sat on the edge of town, carried more than two miles inland by the tsunami. When the tsunami warning sounded Friday, "Most people ran away," said Choushin Takahaski, who was working in a local government office near the water. "Some had to leave the elderly or disabled behind on the second floor. I think a lot of those left behind probably died."

As the wave hit, he said he felt as if it was happening in a dream. "I saw the bottom of the sea when the tidal wave withdrew and houses and people were being washed out," another resident said. "I couldn't watch anymore." Survivors were still being pulled out of the rubble -- 42 of them Sunday morning alone, according to local media. Elsewhere, survivors were also being found in the rubble in Sendai. A dramatic rescue also took place off Japan's coast Sunday, when a Japanese destroyer rescued a 60-year-old man at sea, some 15 kilometers (9 miles) off Fukushima prefecture, according to Kyodo News Agency.

The man, identified as Hiromitsu Shinkawa of Minami Soma, was swept away with his house, Kyodo said. He was spotted floating in the sea, waving a self-made red flag while standing on a piece of his house's roof. Shinkawa was conscious and in good condition, Kyodo said, citing Defense Ministry officials. He was quoted as telling rescuers he had left his home because of the quake, but returned home to grab some belongings with his wife when the tsunami hit. "I was saved by holding onto the roof," he said, "but my wife was swept away." When a member of Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force handed him something to drink on the rescue boat, Shinkawa drank it and burst into tears, Kyodo reported. "No helicopters or boats that came nearby noticed me," he said. "... I thought today was the last day of my life."

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See also:

Japan: Partial meltdown likely at 2nd reactor
13 Mar.`11 — A partial meltdown was likely underway at a second nuclear reactor, a top Japanese official said Sunday, as authorities frantically tried to prevent a similar threat from nearby unit following a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

About 170,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the area covering a radius of 12 miles around the plant in Fukushima near Iwaki. A meltdown refers to a very serious collapse of a power plant's systems and its ability to manage temperatures. A complete meltdown would release uranium and dangerous byproducts into the environment that can pose serious health risks.

Japan dealt with the nuclear threat as it struggled to determine the scope of the twin disasters Friday, when an 8.9-magnitude earthquake, the most powerful in its recorded history, was followed by a tsunami that ravaged its northeastern coast with breathtaking speed and power. The official count of the dead was 763, but the government said the figure could far exceed 1,000. Media reports said some 10,000 people were missing or unaccounted for.

The quake and tsunami damaged three reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which lost their cooling functions necessary to keep the fuel rods functioning properly. At first the Unit 1 reactor was in trouble with an explosion destroying the walls of the room in which it is placed. Later, Unit 3 also began to experience problems.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said operators released slightly radioactive air from Unit 3 Sunday, while injecting water into it as an effort to reduce pressure and temperature to save the reactor from a possible meltdown. Still, a partial meltdown in the unit is "highly possible," he told reporters.

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[xsited1]

Check out these photos:

ABC News - Japan Earthquake: before and after

 

[rdean]

It may seem farfetched, but I wonder if the "Three Gorges Dam" in China had anything to do with the earthquake in Japan.

The total surface area of the reservoir is 1045 square kilometers, and it will will flood a total area of 632 square kilometers, of land. The reservoir will contain about 39.3 cu km (9.43 cubic miles) of water. That water will weigh more than 39 trillion kilograms (42 billion tons).

MEDIAROOTS

Think about it. 42 billion tons on the edge of the plate above sea level. A plate that crosses Japan.

Earthquakes and landslides
Earthquake-induced peak ground acceleration coupled with the immense weight of the reservoir water might be able breach the upstream face of the dam.[57] Erosion in the reservoir, induced by rising water, causes frequent major landslides that have led to noticeable disturbance in the reservoir surface, including two incidents in May 2009 when 50,000 and 20,000 cubic metres (65,000 and 26,000 cu yd) of material plunged into the flooded Wuxia Gorge of the Wu River.[58] Also, in the first four months of 2010, there were 97 significant landslides.[59]

Three Gorges Dam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just sayin'

 

[skeptic]

You are stretching. First off the Three Gorges dam is well over 1000 miles away. Second the energy release from the quake is far too large to be caused by the dam:

Energy

This earthquake released a surface energy (Me) of 1.9±0.5×1017 joules,[38] dissipated as shaking and tsunamic energy, which is nearly double that of the 9.1-magnitude 2004 Sumatran earthquake that killed 230,000 people. The total energy released (Mw) was calculated by the USGS WPhase Moment Solution at 3.9×1022 joules,[39] slightly less than the 2004 Sumatra quake. The total energy released underground was some 205,000 times that on the surface.
Geophysical impact
Soil liquefaction in Koto, Tokyo

According to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the earthquake's enormous strength shifted the Earth's axis by 25 centimeters (9.8 in). This deviation led a number of small changes, including those to the length of a day and the tilt of the Earth.[40] The speed of the Earth's rotation increased, shortening the day by 1.8 microseconds due to the redistribution of Earth's mass.[41]

The energy released by the quake was enough to move the island of Honshu Japan (the big island) 8 feet east and 2 feet south. It is roughly the equivalent of 80 years of man's total energy consumption at the 2008 rate, It is the equivalent of 200,000 Hiroshima size bombs, it was sufficient to alter the entire Earth's axis by 25 centimeters, it is nearly 20% of all moment magnitude energy released by all quakes in the last century combined, and it was sufficient to send far more water than exists in 3 gorges dam rippling across the breadth of the Pacific ocean at nearly the speed of sound.

You are over estimating the impact of the dam and underestimating the intensity of the quake by several magnitudes. Like maybe 5 or 7.

 

[xotoxi]

The temblor also should have caused Earth to rotate somewhat faster, shortening the length of the day by about 1.8 microseconds, he said.

No worries.

I took that into account when I changed my clocks last night.

 

[rdean]

You are stretching. First off the Three Gorges dam is well over 1000 miles away. Second the energy release from the quake is far too large to be caused by the dam:

Energy

This earthquake released a surface energy (Me) of 1.9±0.5×1017 joules,[38] dissipated as shaking and tsunamic energy, which is nearly double that of the 9.1-magnitude 2004 Sumatran earthquake that killed 230,000 people. The total energy released (Mw) was calculated by the USGS WPhase Moment Solution at 3.9×1022 joules,[39] slightly less than the 2004 Sumatra quake. The total energy released underground was some 205,000 times that on the surface.
Geophysical impact
Soil liquefaction in Koto, Tokyo

According to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the earthquake's enormous strength shifted the Earth's axis by 25 centimeters (9.8 in). This deviation led a number of small changes, including those to the length of a day and the tilt of the Earth.[40] The speed of the Earth's rotation increased, shortening the day by 1.8 microseconds due to the redistribution of Earth's mass.[41]

The energy released by the quake was enough to move the island of Honshu Japan (the big island) 8 feet east and 2 feet south. It is roughly the equivalent of 80 years of man's total energy consumption at the 2008 rate, It is the equivalent of 200,000 Hiroshima size bombs, it was sufficient to alter the entire Earth's axis by 25 centimeters, it is nearly 20% of all moment magnitude energy released by all quakes in the last century combined, and it was sufficient to send far more water than exists in 3 gorges dam rippling across the breadth of the Pacific ocean at nearly the speed of sound.

You are over estimating the impact of the dam and underestimating the intensity of the quake by several magnitudes. Like maybe 5 or 7.

But look at the size of the plate. Adding 42 billion tons? And the plate floats on a sea of magma. Earthquakes happen due to pressure built up between two plates and then a sudden release. Could that 42 billion tons be the "straw"?

 

[skeptic]

But look at the size of the plate. Adding 42 billion tons? And the plate floats on a sea of magma. Earthquakes happen due to pressure built up between two plates and then a sudden release. Could that 42 billion tons be the "straw"?

42 billion tons is a drop in the bucket. The island of Japan weighs far, far more than that. Like 40 quadrillion tons for each foot of depth in the island's mass.

And Earthquakes occur continually to relieve continually renewing pressure. If it didn't happen today, it would have happened tomorrow.

 

[Jon]

Check out these photos:

ABC News - Japan Earthquake: before and after

Those almost made me sick to look at. Such devastation...

 

[zzzz]

Yet the stress buildup can reach a point where all it takes is a very small push to cause and rupture or movement. We still do not understand the mechanics of the earth and all these people saying this or that cannot affect earthquakes do not really understand the totality of the system. The effect of the moon has some effect but even if it is small it can push it over the edge. The plates are constantly in motion and building up stress and when it reaches a critical point it may need a that little push to initiate the release. And that little extra push may give it enough push to make the release catastrophic. We do not know for sure.

This weekend will be a telling moment because of the supermoon occurrence. The moon will be at its closest point to earth in over 12 years and on top of that it will be a full moon! What does a full moon mean? It is lined up directly opposite the sun and it is at these times that the tides are the highest. The moon is pulling the earth one way and the sun the other. Combine that with the increased gravity of the moon being so close I expect there may be more geophysical movement on the earth. May not be 9.0 earthquakes but some increased activity can be expected.

 

[Mr. Jones]

Check out these photos:

ABC News - Japan Earthquake: before and after

Those almost made me sick to look at. Such devastation...

I agree, and on top of that reports of 1000 bodies washing up on shore, it truly is a horrible situation, and we here near fault zones should take precautions, it can happen at anytime. One seismic expert said these appear to be happening in clusters, and that if you put the recent quakes in a box, with NZ, Chile, Japan, the other space on the upper right on the box left is the San Adreas fault zone.
Btw, I noticed you're in Arkansas?
There's been lots of small quakes in that area, and rumors from the BP drilling, to HAARP being blamed for a possible big quake event in the New Madrid Fz coming soon. FEMA is planning an "exercise" soon and has been looking to attain MREs, blankets and underwater body bags, making some think that a quake there is inevitable.

 

[Douger]

They're ready for San Andreas. The vaults for that project are in Arizona. Concrete.
The New Madrid is ready too. The Vaults are PVC and are in Georgia.
Have fun.

 

[westwall]

It may seem farfetched, but I wonder if the "Three Gorges Dam" in China had anything to do with the earthquake in Japan.

The total surface area of the reservoir is 1045 square kilometers, and it will will flood a total area of 632 square kilometers, of land. The reservoir will contain about 39.3 cu km (9.43 cubic miles) of water. That water will weigh more than 39 trillion kilograms (42 billion tons).

MEDIAROOTS

Think about it. 42 billion tons on the edge of the plate above sea level. A plate that crosses Japan.

Earthquakes and landslides
Earthquake-induced peak ground acceleration coupled with the immense weight of the reservoir water might be able breach the upstream face of the dam.[57] Erosion in the reservoir, induced by rising water, causes frequent major landslides that have led to noticeable disturbance in the reservoir surface, including two incidents in May 2009 when 50,000 and 20,000 cubic metres (65,000 and 26,000 cu yd) of material plunged into the flooded Wuxia Gorge of the Wu River.[58] Also, in the first four months of 2010, there were 97 significant landslides.[59]

Three Gorges Dam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just sayin'

No, it didn't. The earthquake in Japan was a result of plate tectonics, pure and simple. The quake was centered in a region directly over where a section of the Pacific Plate is being subducted under the Eurasian Plate. The depth of 20 miles or so tells us that this is the cause.

Anyone who tries to ascribe surface causes to a process that occurs in the Mantle (or deep crust) of the Earth really needs to take a geology class. The planet doesn't work that way. You're starting to sound like an uneducated 6 percenter.

 

[westwall]

You are stretching. First off the Three Gorges dam is well over 1000 miles away. Second the energy release from the quake is far too large to be caused by the dam:

Energy

This earthquake released a surface energy (Me) of 1.9±0.5×1017 joules,[38] dissipated as shaking and tsunamic energy, which is nearly double that of the 9.1-magnitude 2004 Sumatran earthquake that killed 230,000 people. The total energy released (Mw) was calculated by the USGS WPhase Moment Solution at 3.9×1022 joules,[39] slightly less than the 2004 Sumatra quake. The total energy released underground was some 205,000 times that on the surface.
Geophysical impact
Soil liquefaction in Koto, Tokyo

According to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the earthquake's enormous strength shifted the Earth's axis by 25 centimeters (9.8 in). This deviation led a number of small changes, including those to the length of a day and the tilt of the Earth.[40] The speed of the Earth's rotation increased, shortening the day by 1.8 microseconds due to the redistribution of Earth's mass.[41]

The energy released by the quake was enough to move the island of Honshu Japan (the big island) 8 feet east and 2 feet south. It is roughly the equivalent of 80 years of man's total energy consumption at the 2008 rate, It is the equivalent of 200,000 Hiroshima size bombs, it was sufficient to alter the entire Earth's axis by 25 centimeters, it is nearly 20% of all moment magnitude energy released by all quakes in the last century combined, and it was sufficient to send far more water than exists in 3 gorges dam rippling across the breadth of the Pacific ocean at nearly the speed of sound.

You are over estimating the impact of the dam and underestimating the intensity of the quake by several magnitudes. Like maybe 5 or 7.

But look at the size of the plate. Adding 42 billion tons? And the plate floats on a sea of magma. Earthquakes happen due to pressure built up between two plates and then a sudden release. Could that 42 billion tons be the "straw"?

You're not adding anything. The weight is allready there. All the dam does is concentrate it in one place.

 

[GHook93]

Japan earthquake science: Japan earthquake shifted Earth on its axis - latimes.com

This is amazing.

Must be Global Warming!!!

J/K, I read the entire very interesting article, but it didn't state any longterm effects. What are the long term effects?

 

[westwall]

Yet the stress buildup can reach a point where all it takes is a very small push to cause and rupture or movement. We still do not understand the mechanics of the earth and all these people saying this or that cannot affect earthquakes do not really understand the totality of the system. The effect of the moon has some effect but even if it is small it can push it over the edge. The plates are constantly in motion and building up stress and when it reaches a critical point it may need a that little push to initiate the release. And that little extra push may give it enough push to make the release catastrophic. We do not know for sure.

This weekend will be a telling moment because of the supermoon occurrence. The moon will be at its closest point to earth in over 12 years and on top of that it will be a full moon! What does a full moon mean? It is lined up directly opposite the sun and it is at these times that the tides are the highest. The moon is pulling the earth one way and the sun the other. Combine that with the increased gravity of the moon being so close I expect there may be more geophysical movement on the earth. May not be 9.0 earthquakes but some increased activity can be expected.

Actually we understand the basics quite well. We know that certain sections of earthquake faults "creep" along with no major lockups and thus you never see major quakes in those areas, think Hollister CA as an example along the San Andreas fault.

Staying with the San Andreas, just a hundred miles further south is an area called the big bend and that area gets locked up quite frequently and has major quakes like the Tejon quake of 1857 which measured over 8 on the Richter scale (estimated as obviously the scale didn't exist then) and saw 32 feet of movement on the fault line.

We also know that if we inject large amounts of water into a fault it will act as a lubricant and cause many smaller quakes that in theory would reduce the strain buildup and eliminate a major quake possibility. The question is how much water do you need to inject and for how long. A quake the size of the one in Japan is so massive that you caould have a million 3.0 quakes and still not relieve the strain enough.

 

[DiamondDave]

Japan earthquake science: Japan earthquake shifted Earth on its axis - latimes.com

This is amazing.

Must be Global Warming!!!

J/K, I read the entire very interesting article, but it didn't state any longterm effects. What are the long term effects?

I am just waiting for the enviro-nazis to start claiming anthropological tectonic change