Quake rattled Earth orbit, changed map of Asia: US geophysicist

[Selatius]

Quake rattled Earth orbit, changed map of Asia: US geophysicist



Mon Dec 27, 8:33 PM ET

LOS ANGELES, (AFP) - An earthquake that unleashed deadly tidal waves on Asia was so powerful it made the Earth wobble on its axis and permanently altered the regional map, US geophysicists said.

The 9.0-magnitude temblor that struck 250 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Sumatra island Sunday may have moved small islands as much as 20 meters (66 feet), according to one expert.

"That earthquake has changed the map," US Geological Survey expert Ken Hudnut told AFP.

"Based on seismic modeling, some of the smaller islands off the southwest coast of Sumatra may have moved to the southwest by about 20 meters. That is a lot of slip."

The northwestern tip of the Indonesian territory of Sumatra may also have shifted to the southwest by around 36 meters (120 feet), Hudnut said.

Full article found here.

[Bill McBlueState]

1. your link's broken

Don't include the 'http' in your link; it's included by default. :)

[pmbryant]

2. Link doesn't work (n/t)

[Streetdoc270]

3. So that means....

what? More global warming, shorter seasons, time/calender changes? I wonder how this 'wobble' will effect the world...

[pmbryant]

4. No practical effect

Whatever tiny wobble or shift in orbit happened is likely miniscule on the scale of the planet and the Earth's orbit. Perhaps measurable by very precise instruments that we have these days, but otherwise completely undetectable.

--Peter

[Moderator]

5. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1103394