Waves reflecting off Earth's core shifted Japan after 2011 earthquake
New Scientist 2026-06-18 19:00:18
Context: A massive earthquake struck off the coast of Japan in 2011, triggering an extraordinary geological event that caused the country's landmass to shift. The Tohoku earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami. Fifteen minutes after the earthquake, a peculiar tectonic movement took place, resulting in a significant displacement of Japan's landmass.
Key Facts
- The Tohoku earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake that triggered a massive tsunami and resulted in one of the deadliest natural disasters in Japanese history.
- An extremely unusual tectonic movement took place 15 minutes after the Tohoku earthquake, causing almost the whole of Japan to move 5 millimetres to the east.
- The 2011 Tohoku earthquake was caused by a sudden movement along the plate boundary between the Pacific plate and the North American plate, which resulted in an enormous release of energy that triggered the devastating tsunami.
- The earthquake and subsequent tsunami resulted in over 15,000 deaths and widespread destruction, with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant being severely damaged and releasing radioactive materials into the environment.
- The unusual tectonic movement that occurred 15 minutes after the earthquake was characterized by seismic waves reflecting off the Earth's core, which interacted with the Earth's crust, causing the landmass to shift in an unusual and unprecedented manner.