NASA Scientist Thinks Chile Earthquake Shifted Earth's Axis

antijoke · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:51

True story. Apparently.

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So if you feel there just isn't enough time in the day, you now know why, as it could've lost us 6.8 microseconds.

Cosimo · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:54

It chopped an estimated 6.8 microseconds off the length of a day, Nasa said.

So I won't be adjusting my watch.

Le_Petit_Lapin · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:00

But guys, every little counts!

twist3d0n3 · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:03

i thought i slept in a bit later this morning...

HeadlessChicken · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:04

But that's about a whole second every 500 years! (I think doing it quickly in my head. Feel free to prove me completely wrong

)

Antar Bolaeisk · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:06

So what they're saying is, if we could generate a large enough earthquake, at just the right place on earth, we could sleep in longer

antijoke · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:08

Antar Bolaeisk said:
So what they're saying is, if we could generate a large enough earthquake, at just the right place on earth, we could sleep in longer

I do indeed think that's what he is saying!

K1LLSW1TCH · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:08

6.8 microseconds! Oh noes!

Oh, wait: 6.8 millionth's of a second.

antijoke · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:21

K1LLSW1TCH said:
6.8 microseconds! Oh noes!

Oh, wait: 6.8 millionth's of a second.

Indeed, it's a massive time gap, I'm sure you'll agree.

Sinque · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:22

So are we 6.8microseconds in the future or the past?

Delvis · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:23

2012 dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn

MossyUK · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:28

Delvis said:
2012 dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn

if an 8.8 magnitude earth quake shifts us by 6.8 millionths of a sec, and the 2012 tinfoil hat brigade expect a complete shift that reshapes the earth and all that carry on, what kind of magnitude would that be?

1 million magnitudes! (best said in a doctor evil voice)

Casdawer · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:30

Wow, does anyone really care?

LordSplodge · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:58

Casdawer said:
Wow, does anyone really care?

Yes.

Stop and think about it for a minute. One earthquake contains enough power to move the freaking planet so that days shorten by 6.8 microseconds. That kind of power is biblical and puts what we humans can make into a cocked hat.

Fenris · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:00

So all we need is a ship to travel fast as light backwards around the earth and everything will be right as rain.

muon · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:01

Curious, how does rotational momentum get affected by an earthquake? As far as I'm aware, nothing was ejected into space, and that's the extent to which my Physics knowledge goes.

edit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum

Okay, lets say the earthquake brought more material to the earths surface. To conserve momentum, that material would have to be travelling slower (radians per second). But obviously it can't travel slower than the rest of the surface and so slows the motion of the crust?

Sound about right?

antijoke · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:02

Casdawer said:
Wow, does anyone really care?

LordSplodge said:
Yes.

Stop and think about it for a minute. One earthquake contains enough power to move the freaking planet so that days shorten by 6.8 microseconds. That kind of power is biblical and puts what we humans can make into a cocked hat.

Exactly, if an earthquake can do that level of change, just imagine there could be the possibility for a future massive earthquake that could do all sorts of un-told change to our planet.

Delvis · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:05

ghost101 said:
Curious, how does rotational momentum get affected by an earthquake? As far as I'm aware, nothing was ejected into space, and that's the extent to which my Physics knowledge goes.

....I can't explain this...But I can see how its possible, can you not?

Imagine something spinning on an axis, then have it vibrate....It'll affect its spin naturally you would think.

muon · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:10

Delvis said:
....I can't explain this...But I can see how its possible, can you not?

Imagine something spinning on an axis, then have it vibrate....It'll affect its spin naturally you would think.

Only because its losing energy. A planet in space should lose energy (sound, pressure waves etc.). So it must have something to moving mass further and closer from the earths core, my guess would be (see above).

Like I said, I only did A-level physics and so I only learnt some basic stuff about conservation of angular momentum.

craptakular · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:11

he we got a really big earthquake could we jump back in time?

Not being silly for a minute, we didn't lose 6.8 microseconds as time never stands still.