Story perspectives

Core-Bounced Waves Shift Japan Crust 5 mm After M9 Quake

6/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Scientists identified a hazard where ScS waves bounced off the core and nudged Japan’s crust, and GPS stations recorded an eastward shift of five millimetres across 1,800 miles fifteen minutes after the magnitude-9 quake.
Researchers said the ScS waves released energy like a magnitude-7.5 quake and could trigger fault slip beyond the main shock.
Geophysicists noted the finding shows large earthquakes can affect distant faults for minutes, underscoring hazard preparedness.

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Story summary

Scientists identified a hazard where ScS waves bounced off the core and nudged Japan’s crust, and GPS stations recorded an eastward shift of five millimetres across 1,800 miles fifteen minutes after the magnitude-9 quake.
Researchers said the ScS waves released energy like a magnitude-7.5 quake and could trigger fault slip beyond the main shock.
Geophysicists noted the finding shows large earthquakes can affect distant faults for minutes, underscoring hazard preparedness.