Classic to have less sunlight to work with???

[Westbranch]

USGS report on quake...

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0001xgp.php#details

Aftershock map: !!!!!

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/aftershocks/?event=c0001xgp&source=us&title=M8.9%20NEAR%20THE%20EAST%20COAST%20OF%20HONSHU,%20JAPAN

Historical cross section of quakes in area.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2011/usc0001xgp/neic_c0001xgp_c.php

Heard on the news this AM that Japan has moved 8 feet to the west as a result of the recent quake!  and decreased our 24 hour day-length again... by milliseconds

http://overthenews.blogspot.com/2011/03/earthquake-in-japan-has-shifted-axis.html

then found this article on the results of other recent quakes which explains why some quakes affect the earths rotation more than others.

http://thetechjournal.com/science/chile-earthquake-affects-earth-axis-shortens-our-days.xhtml

[niel]

come on, millionths of a second is going to make a difference? an increase in the bird population would have a greater impact than this could ever hope to. also weather changes and the cyclic conditions of the sun are far more influential. let's also not forget of the seconds to each year that had been added periodically to the atomic clock over the years due to the earth's getting larger from being constantly bombarded from space. i just don't see the quake as being significant to the amount of sun the classic gets to work with.

i don't object to the info on the post, but the title is stretching it a bit don't you think?

[keyturbocars]

Westbranch, interesting information on the quake.  That was a big quake.  The destruction is terrible.  It's a reminder that life circumstances can drastically change in the blink of an eye.   

We've had a couple of tiny quakes where the epicenter was almost directly underneath us (maybe 1/2 mile away).  They were tiny, but I guess because we were so close, they were very noticeable.  Both times, they happened while we were sleeping.  Shook the house pretty good considering how small they were reported to be.  Both times, I immediately jumped out of bed thinking there was an explosion or nearby lightning strike.

Edward

[Westbranch]

Niel, got your attention though

[Halfcrazy]

I fully expected to see half his solar array crushed under a fallen tree or something sure peeked my interest  . On a serious note all our thoughts and prayers should go to all those effected and now staring at Nuclear fallout.

[niel]

I fully expected to see half his solar array crushed under a fallen tree or something sure peeked my interest  . On a serious note all our thoughts and prayers should go to all those effected and now staring at Nuclear fallout.

i whole-heartedly agree on both points as this is a tragedy and it did get my attention .

[keithwhare]

...  and decreased our 24 hour day-length again... by milliseconds

The mean solar day has been increasing, so decreasing the day length by a few milliseconds will reduce the need to add leap seconds.

(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_seconds for a discussion of leap seconds.)

But in the long run, the social and economic impact of the Japan earthquakes and tsunami will greatly exceed the affect on photo-voltaic power generation.

Keith