NASA’s Terra satellite's (click title to entry - thank you) first view of northeastern Japan in the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami reveal extensive flooding along the coast. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired the right image of the Sendai region on March 12, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. The left image, taken by Terra MODIS on February 26, 2011, is provided as a point of reference.
"At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass," said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
I am not saying USGS is wrong on its first run through. However, to draw the conclusion there has a massive shift in the geologic location of the islands of Japan is a bit premature.
I have no doubt the 'area' (which is massive) effective by the quake has relocated many land areas and in ways we would rather it not take place. But, with the massive flooding and 'fluid' movement of this area there could be many reasons why these GPS units are reporting these findings. There has to be an 'on the ground' assessment of the units, their integrity and the data, as well as the data from GPS units in other places on the islands of Japan as well as other locations 'in this area.'
There was a tremendous amount to ocean water displaced and in all honesty there is no solid way of knowing what this data reveals until a further assessment of 'real conditions and real time' can be evaluated.
In regard to the 'tilt' of Earth and its rotation, immediate data suggests a change, but, it takes more than immediate data to finalize that reality. Everytime there is a major quake I am hearing the same thing. The rotation has changed, the tilt of the Earth has changed. Fine. But, is this a 'moving baseline' or is data compared to historical data at the beginnings of the science when accuracy was known is a different way.
There are a lot of variables, including the change in technology.
I don't doubt this earthquakes are effecting the planet, but, I do believe the proper way to look at this is that Earth is effecting earthquakes.
I could go on and on about what is occurring to cause these huge and frequent quakes, but, I still believe the Pacific Plate is trying to become a circle since the Arctic Ocean has melted down and North America no longer has an ice anchor.
There have been many, many huge and devasting quakes in the past century at the same time we are losing all the ice on the northern cap. I don't really believe in coincidence and I don't believe any scientist can accurately 'talk about Earth' by simply technological data on a screen.
