Tsunami/EarthQuake Question......

[Windtalker]

From what I have read, they say the the latest Earthquake has knocked the each alittle off it's axis. I would tend to think that just alittle movement would cause MAJOR weather changes around the world. Has anyone thought what would be the worst case happening here in the states or Atlantic this Hurricane season? Just a question....Thanks & Happy New Year

[Windtalker]

should of used spell check.

[James]

Well, from what I've read the Earth was knocked 2 inches off its axis by the earthquake. Apparently, that has shortened the length of a day by 1 millionth of a second. I don't know of any changes in the weather. I don't know whether 2 inches is enough to cause changes in the weather, but then nature is all about fine balances.

[HurricaneBill]

I think I read that throughout the year, the earth's axis varies between 33 inches. So any effects would from this earthquake would be tiny.

[Aslkahuna]

Well considering that in the last Century the Earth's axial tilt decresed by 0.1 degree, 2 inches is not going to do much. The olbiquity (tilt) of the axis is currently decreasing towards a minimum value of about 22.5 degrees in the somewhat distant future. The tilt varies between 22.5 and 24.5 degrees over a cycle of thousands of years-one of the Milankovitch cycles. The tilt of the axis does not affect the length of day. That effect of the earthquake was a result of the seismic moment of the shock interfering slightly with the rotational moment of the Planet. Since tidal friction due to the Moon results in about a 10 second increase in the length of Day over a Century, this effect is miniscule and neither will have any effect on the weather.

Steve