|
Credit & Copyright: USGS
Explanation:
December's
9.0 earthquake has likely
shortened Earth's day
by about three
microseconds
and may also have tweaked
Earth's rotational wobble.
The megathrust earthquake occurred as the Indian
tectonic plate slid further beneath the Burma tectonic plate.
The earthquake was the fourth
most powerful since the year 1900 and triggered
tsunamis
that tragically killed over 250,000 people in nearby
coastal regions.
In the above map, the yellow star indicates the location of the main
earthquake, while circles show the locations of large
aftershocks.
The Sumatra-Andaman Islands earthquake's effect on the Earth's rotation
was sudden but much smaller
than the accumulated effects of other surface events such as an
El Nino.
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Earthquakes - Earth
Publications with words: Earthquakes - Earth
See also: