Indian Ocean quake shifted North Pole an inch

Interesting scientific facts in here... The kind of thing I enjoy. :-)


CBC News - Tue, 11 Jan 2005

WASHINGTON - Scientists at NASA said last month's earthquake in the Indian Ocean affected the shape and rotation of the Earth, and shifted the position of the North Pole.

The underwater quake, the fourth most powerful in the last century, shifted the Earth's North Pole about 2.5 centimetres, or one inch, closer to 145 degrees east longitude, roughly in the direction of Guam.

Scientists also calculate the quake made the Earth slightly rounder, and made the day shorter by 2.68 millionths of a second. They admitted, though, that the calculated changes may be too small to measure.

Researchers with NASA said all quakes affect Earth's rotation to some degree, but the phenomenon is noticeable this time because it was so powerful.

"Any worldly event that involves the movement of mass affects the Earth's rotation, from seasonal weather to driving a car," said Benjamin Fong Chao of the Goddard Space Flight Center, in a release.

The movement of the North Pole is also part of a long-term shift, scientists said.

The researchers said they hope to confirm their calculations with precise measurements from satellites and Earth-based stations.

The Boxing Day quake, measuring a magnitude of 9, triggered tsunamis that killed at least 156,000 people in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, and left many more homeless.

Gift from Michelle

My daughter decided that she wanted to get me a t-shirt with a Ferguson on it. My wife ordered the shirt for her and got an extra one, for my dad.

I found a PS2 under the tree!

Wow. Much fun. Many hours wasted so far. Jenn got me "Gran Turismo 3" and "The Sims" for herself. :-)

I see that "Gran Turismo 4" is coming out in March, so the rush is on to complete GT3. It seem futile as I've driven hundreds of simulated miles so far and had only completed a few percent of the game!