japan quake affects GPS

[iceColdgin]

from cnn:

Quake moves Japan coast, shifts Earth's axis
CNN
Updated Mar 12, 2011 at 01:03pm IST


Tokyo: The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami on Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by eight feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis.

"At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (eight feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass," said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimated the 8.9-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly four inches (10 centimeters).

[arvin555]

This is interesting,thanks for sharing.

One thing though is that I think the GPS station mentioned were ground based, so that it probably does not affect us because we still do not have ground based GPS stations, we rely on satellite GPS, so unless our ground also shifted ours I think should still be okay. Besides what with selective inaccuracy of GPS system, 8 feet will not greatly affect our navi system too if ever.

The shifting of the Earth Axis, I have no clue as to weather an earthquake is capable of shifting the Axis of the Earth, or maybe it is the shifting that triggered the Earthquake... or maybe I over speculating coz I do not know what I am talking about

TTFN
Arvin

[oj88]

The four inches of shift may affect precision instruments like surveyors and the like that rely on GPS-coordinated maps.

Consumer navigation and location-based services are virtually unaffected.

[iceColdgin]

more news from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theloo...-of-the-planet

Mon Mar 14, 9:56 am ET
Japan’s earthquake shifted balance of the planet

By Liz Goodwin

Last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has actually moved the island closer to the United States and shifted the planet's axis.

The quake caused a rift 15 miles below the sea floor that stretched 186 miles long and 93 miles wide, according to the AP. The areas closest to the epicenter of the quake jumped a full 13 feet closer to the United States, geophysicist Ross Stein at the United States Geological Survey told The New York Times.

The world's fifth-largest, 8.9 magnitude quake was caused when the Pacific tectonic plate dove under the North American plate, which shifted Eastern Japan towards North America by about 13 feet (see NASA's before and after photos at right). The quake also shifted the earth's axis by 6.5 inches, shortened the day by 1.6 microseconds, and sank Japan downward by about two feet. As Japan's eastern coastline sunk, the tsunami's waves rolled in.

Why did the quake shorten the day? The earth's mass shifted towards the center, spurring the planet to spin a bit faster. Last year's massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile also shortened the day, but by an even smaller fraction of a second. The 2004 Sumatra quake knocked a whopping 6.8 micro-seconds off the day.

After the country's 1995 earthquake, Japan placed high-tech sensors around the country to observe even the slightest movements, which is why scientists are able to calculate the quake's impact down to the inch. "This is overwhelmingly the best-recorded great earthquake ever," Lucy Jones, chief scientist for the Multi-Hazards project at the U.S. Geological Survey, told The Los Angeles Times.

The tsunami's waves necessitated life-saving evacuations as far away as Chile. Fisherman off the coast of Mexico reported a banner fishing day Friday, and speculated that the tsunami knocked sealife in their direction.