Will the "supermoon" trigger natural disasters?

A story about a "supermoon" has been floating around the Pagan blogosphere recently, where amateur scientists and astrologer Richard Nolle have been predicting that the distance between the moon and the Earth, which will be the closest its been in the past 18 years (221,567 miles versus the average 238,000 mile), will cause massive earthquakes, volcanoes, and powerful storms in the wake of the disaster in Japan. The Pagan community has been in a bit of an uproar since, with healing spells and rites in the hopes of lessening as much damage as possible flying about the universe.

But is there anything really that momentous about a "supermoon"? Does relative distance between Earth and the moon actually cause those kinds of natural disasters?

Okay, y'all know that Matt is huge into space and that he works for NASA, so the first place I look for information regarding the moon's impact on our planet, which has been studied extensively, is NASA.gov and their scientists. Below is an excerpt from an interview with NASA Goddard's chief scientist, Dr. James Garvin, regarding the "supermoon" phenomenon and its effects (emphasis mine):
What is the definition of a supermoon and why is it called that?

'Supermoon' is a situation when the moon is slightly closer to Earth in its orbit than on average, and this effect is most noticeable when it occurs at the same time as a full moon. So, the moon may seem bigger although the difference in its distance from Earth is only a few percent at such times.

It is called a supermoon because this is a very noticeable alignment that at first glance would seem to have an effect. The 'super' in supermoon is really just the appearance of being closer, but unless we were measuring the Earth-Moon distance by laser rangefinders (as we do to track the LRO [Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter] spacecraft in low lunar orbit and to watch the Earth-Moon distance over years), there is really no difference. The supermoon really attests to the wonderful new wealth of data NASA's LRO mission has returned for the Moon, making several key science questions about our nearest neighbor all the more important.

Are there any adverse effects on Earth because of the close proximity of the moon?

The effects on Earth from a supermoon are minor, and according to the most detailed studies by terrestrial seismologists and volcanologists, the combination of the moon being at its closest to Earth in its orbit, and being in its 'full moon' configuration (relative to the Earth and sun), should not affect the internal energy balance of the Earth since there are lunar tides every day. The Earth has stored a tremendous amount of internal energy within its thin outer shell or crust, and the small differences in the tidal forces exerted by the moon (and sun) are not enough to fundamentally overcome the much larger forces within the planet due to convection (and other aspects of the internal energy balance that drives plate tectonics). Nonetheless, these supermoon times remind us of the effect of our 'Africa-sized' nearest neighbor on our lives, affecting ocean tides and contributing to many cultural aspects of our lives (as a visible aspect of how our planet is part of the solar system and space).In short, no, the distance between the moon and Earth is not enough to trigger earthquakes or other natural disasters. However, as the moon has a direct impact on the tides and the moon is going to be slightly closer to the Earth than is typical, it may cause some issues for fishermen and those living on the coasts. It may also have some effect on the flooding already affecting Japan, but not much more than would typically be expected.

If you have a telescope, though, I encourage you to check out the moon through it on Sunday evening. While the full moon will not be noticeably brighter if seen with the naked eye, according to Thomas Djamaluddin, an astronomy and astrophysics researcher at the Indonesian National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN), it will appear 7 percent larger when seen through a telescope. It may also appear larger when coming over the horizon to the naked eye.

Speaking of Japan, though, I know there are several of you out there who would like to help out. Yahoo News lists 8 different ways to help the victims in Japan after the massive earthquake that hit them on 11 March:

1. The American Red Cross has sent squads to the most heavily damaged areas of Japan to provide assistance. Cell phone users may donate $10 per message by texting REDCROSS to 90999.

2. AmeriCares is dispatching teams to Japan to offer disaster relief. Online donations are accepted on the AmeriCares website.

3. Convoy of Hope is accepting gifts online or by cell phone. Text TSUNAMI to 50555 to donate to this faith-based group, working with in-country partners to meet earthquake victims' needs.

4. Doctors Without Borders, or Medecins Sans Frontieres, is sending trained medical personnel into the worst hit areas. Online donations are encouraged.

5. Global Giving is raising funds to fund disaster relief efforts of such groups as International Medical Corps and Save the Children. Text JAPAN to 50555 to donate $10 towards emergency response.

6. The International Medical Corps offers health care and supplies for earthquake relief. Text MED to 80888, or visit the Emergency Response Efforts fund online to donate.

7. The Salvation Army is collecting donations to assist in Japan and Hawaii. Givers may donate online or text QUAKE to 80888 to give $10 per message.

8. Save the Children has established a Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund, collecting online donations to serve those affected by the earthquake and its aftermath.