Seismic wave from 2011 Tohoku earthquake shifted Japan 5 millimeters eastward
By
James Woodford
Summary
Fifteen minutes after the magnitude-9 Tohoku earthquake on March 11, 2011, a powerful seismic wave traveled 5,800 kilometers to the Earth's core and bounced back, causing almost the entire landmass of Japan to shift 5 millimeters eastward. While this movement was dwarfed by the catastrophic local land displacements, massive tsunami waves, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown, it represents an extremely unusual tectonic phenomenon where an entire country was measurably displaced by a deep-earth seismic wave.
Source
Twitter / XSeismic wave from 2011 Tohoku earthquake shifted Japan 5 millimeters eastwardnewscientist.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledAround 15 minutes after the magnitude-9 Tohoku earthquake on 11 March 2011, almost the whole of Japan jumped half a centimetre to the east.
This lurch resulted from an immensely powerful seismic wave that travelled 5800 kilometres to the planet's core and then bounced back towards the surface.
In the context of the devastation caused by the earthquake, including localised land movements of many metres and 40-metre tsunami waves that led to the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, 5 millimetres may se
You might also wanna read
Weekly Science Roundup: Earthquake Waves, Gravastars, and Butterfly Secrets
The article discusses a seismic wave from the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake that traveled to the Earth's core and back, revealing a previously
404media.co·2d ago
First-Ever Footage of Earthquake Causing 2.5-Meter Ground Slip
A security camera in Myanmar captured the first-ever footage of the Earth's surface shifting 2.5 meters sideways during a magnitude 7.7 eart
vice.com·11mo ago
M 4.5 - 58 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile
dlvr.it·23d ago
M6.7 earthquake strikes Central Sulawesi, Indonesia; over 700,000 exposed to severe shaking
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on June 16, 2026 at 11:27 local time. The USGS estimates over 700,000 people e
earthquakeinsights.substack.com·6d ago
M 4.9 - 68 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia
earthquake.usgs.gov·19h ago
Study Reveals Earth's Tilt Increased by 31.5 Inches Due to Groundwater Pumping
Earth has tilted 31.5 inches in less than two decades due to pumping groundwater, leading to sea level rise. A study in Geophysical Research
popularmechanics.com·11mo agoComments
Sign in to join the conversation.
No comments yet. Be the first.