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NASA Details Earthquake Effects on the Earth

Cuyamaca writes " NASA scientists, using data from the Indonesian earthquake calculated it affected Earth's rotation, decreased the length of day, slightly changed the planet's shape, and shifted the North Pole by centimeters. The earthquake that created the huge tsunami also changed the Earth's rotation." You now have 2.68 fewer microseconds each day to do whatever it is you do.

5 of 309 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So that's why my watch is running slow. by TEMM · · Score: 0, Troll

    The earths rotation has been temporarily increased. It will slow down to normal over the period of about 100 days.

  2. You might be wondering by PhysicsGenius · · Score: 1, Troll
    how something that happens on Earth can affect the rotation time. It's all about angular momentum.

    Angular momentum is conserved and is calculated by L = Iw where I is the rotational inertia, w is the angular velocity and L is the constant product. So if I goes up (and I will show in a minute how that happens), w must go down. I, the rotational inertia, is calculated different ways for different geometries. A long stick held by the end has a larger I than the same stick held by the center, for instance. Another example is a sphere, like the Earth, rotating on an axis. If it suddenly puts out a long arm, that's going to increase its rotation inertia considerably, decreasing its angular velocity. Lifting up a whole region by a few inches could easily do that.

    1. Re:You might be wondering by bgarcia · · Score: 0, Troll
      how something that happens on Earth can affect the rotation time. It's all about angular momentum. Angular momentum is conserved and is calculated by L = Iw where I is the inertia...
      You're just a walking cure for insomnia, aren't you?
      --
      I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.
  3. Re:Is this fact, or conjecture? by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 0, Troll


    (...) This millisecond change

    Microsecond change. Adds up to a second in 1000 years.



    bjd

  4. Re:2.68 micro seconds missing... by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 0, Troll


    (...) I lose 2.68 seconds every 2737.9257 years.

    Check your math.


    bjd