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A seismic event bounced off Earth’s core and shifted an island country

A magnitude-9 earthquake in 2011 sent seismic waves nearly 2,900 kilometres down to Earth's core. These waves bounced back to the surface and moved the country eastward. GPS measurements indicate the shift occurred shortly after the initial event.

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What changed

New research details how seismic waves bouncing off the Earth's core caused Japan's eastward movement.

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  1. 2011 Earthquake Seismic Waves Shifted Japan Eastward

    A magnitude-9 earthquake in 2011 sent seismic waves nearly 2,900 kilometres down to Earth's core. These waves bounced back to the surface and moved the country eastward. GPS measurements indicate the shift occurred shortly after the initial event.

    What's confirmed:

    • A magnitude-9 earthquake hit Japan on March 11, 2011.
    • Seismic waves from the event travelled to Earth's core and bounced back to the surface.
    • The event shifted Japan eastward.
    • The earthquake began at 2:46 p.m. local time.

    Still unconfirmed:

    • The country shifted eastward by roughly six millimetres.
    • The seismic wave bounced back to the surface 13 minutes after travelling to the core.
    • The shift occurred about 15 minutes after the event began.
    confidence 90%