Structural heterogeneity in the megathrust zone and mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0)

Dapeng Zhao, Zhouchuan Huang, Norihito Umino, Akira Hasegawa, Hiroo Kanamori

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

164 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The great 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) and its 339 foreshocks and 5,609 aftershocks (9-27 March 2011) were relocated using a three-dimensional seismic velocity model and local P and S wave arrival times. The distribution of relocated hypocenters was compared with a tomographic image of the Northeast Japan forearc. The comparison indicates that the rupture nucleation of the largest events in the Tohoku-oki sequence, including the mainshock, was controlled by structural heterogeneities in the megathrust zone.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL17308
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume38
Issue number17
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011 Sept 1

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