Tokyo: Scientists from the United States Geological Service made a startling revelation that the powerful Japan quake seems to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 ft or 2.4 meters and shifted the earth on it's axis.
USGS scientists say that earth's axis has reportedly shifted ten inches as a result of the quake, and Japan's coast is said to have permanently shifted 2.4 metres. They added that over 100 aftershocks rated 5.0 magnitude or more have hit Japan since the initial shake.
The scientists from the USGS were answering public's questions on the quake and the resulting tsunami online. Dr. Dave Applegate from USGS said that the Japan earthquake ruptured a 180 mile long by 50 mile wide section of the earth's crust.
Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology's finding colloborated the claim that the Japan quake had shifted the country's coastline and the earth's rotation axis. INGV, which is Europe's largest research institute to monitor geophysics, said the impact of Japan's earthquake was "much greater" than 2004's Sumatra earthquake.
The change in earth's rotational axis is likely to change the day night pattern in places. However, scientists say it is not likely to change your sleep patterns or birthday, but they do accumulate over time. And, as such, the change will be permanent, over the decades and eons, it will eventually amount to a trickle of "lost" time
The researchers said that while the minuscule change may be completely undetectable, it still illustrates the punch behind the Japan's massive earthquake.
Last year, NASA reported that a 8.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Chile shortened the day by 1.26 millionths of a second, according to computer-model calculations.
According to the National Geographic, NASA had estimated that the Chilean earthquake shifted the globe's axis by about 10 centimetres.
Meanwhile, at least 14 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 5 - 6.8, rocked Japan's eastcoast on Saturday.
Monster quake moves Japan closer to US, speeds up Earth's rotation
