9 magnitude earthquake that hit Japan, 11 March, and change the axis of the Earth. With magnitude 9 earthquake hit Japan, 11 March, and change the axis of the planet Earth that is in ever shorter time resulted in a day. (NOAA/NASA enters Project)

VIVAnews -Richard gross, a researcher of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA devised a complex theoretical calculation model for mengalkulasikan, impact of the earthquake in Japan, which is the fifth largest earthquake since 1900, on the Earth's rotation.

Utilizing data from the United States Geological Survey, the results of the calculation gives a change in the distribution of mass of the Earth. Earthquake Japan has the Earth spun slightly faster, and time in one day up to 1.8 microsecond or a millionth of a second.

Calculation made also indicated that the axis of the earth around the 17 inches to East longitude moves. Change the axis this would make the motion of the Earth a little differently. But it does not affect the position of the Earth in space because only external forces such as the gravity of the Sun, the Moon and the planets are able to change it.

About the short time in a day that was not achieved, for example, with a magnitude of 8.8 earthquake in Chile last year, the time in a shortened day of 1.26 microsecond and shift the axis of the Earth about 8 cm.

In fact, using similar calculations that are performed after the earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 that hit Aceh in 2004, the time in a day reduced by 6.8 microsecond result axis bergesernya and shape of the Earth about 7 cm.

"Rotation of the Earth is constantly changing, and not only caused by the earthquake, but was also influenced by other factors such as the wind in the atmospheric and oceanic currents," said Gross, as quoted from Science Daily, may 10, 2011. "How earthquakes affect the rotation of the earth depends on the size, location, and how earthquakes happen," he said.

Gross indication, in the following year, the time in a day increase and decrease of around a millisecond or 550 times larger than the earthquake Japan. In the same way with the plates of the Earth that can be shifted approximately 1 m in a year due to the diversity of the earthquake.

"In theory, a State meredistribusi the mass of the Earth changes the rotation of the planet Earth," said gross. "However, changes in axis and rotation of the earth should have no impact on our daily lives. This change is very natural and occurs at any time. People need to worry, "he said.

Although the calculation, the calculation made gross, good for the axis of the Earth and the rotation, has made the result will probably be changed with the emergence of new data more accurate about the phenomena that occur on Earth. (umi)