The 03/11/2011 Mw9.

0 Tohoku,
Japan Earthquake
Educational Slides
Created & Compiled by Gavin Hayes & David Wald
U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center
Contributions from:
Kuo-Wan Lin, USGS NEIC Jascha Polet, Cal Poly Pomona
Mike Hearne, USGS NEIC Charles Ammon, Penn State University
Lisa Wald, USGS NEIC Guangfu Shao, U. California, Santa Barbara
Harley Benz, USGS NEIC
Erol Kalkan, USGS Menlo Park
Volkan Sevilgen, USGS Menlo Park
Gavin Hayes and Mike Hearne are contracted to work for the USGS NEIC by Synergetics Inc., Fort Collins, CO.
 Offshore Honshu, Japan Earthquake, 03/09/2011, Mw 7.2
USGS ShakeMap : NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Wed Mar 9, 2011 02:45:20 GMT M 7.2 N38.42 E142.84 Depth: 32.0km ID:b0001r57
M 7.2, NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN PAGER
Origin Time: Wed 2011-03-09 02:45:20 UTC (11:45:20 local)
Hachinohe o o
Location: 38.42 N 142.84 E Depth: 32 km Version 4
FOR TSUNAMI INFORMATION, SEE: tsunami.noaa.gov Created: 21 hours, 44 minutes after earthquake
odate Estimated Fatalities Green alert for shaking-related fatalities Estimated Economic Losses
and economic losses. There is a low
likelihood of casualties and damage.
Iwate
40˚
Akita
Miyako

Kitakami Estimated Population Exposed to Earthquake Shaking

ESTIMATED POPULATION - -* 2,462k* 5,120k* 2,708k 17 0 0 0 0
EXPOSURE (k = x1000)
ESTIMATED MODIFIED
MERCALLI INTENSITY
Ichinoseki
PERCEIVED SHAKING Not felt Weak Light Moderate Strong Very Strong Severe Violent Extreme
Resistant none none none V. Light Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy V. Heavy
POTENTIAL Structures
Furukawa DAMAGE Vulnerable
Structures none none none Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy V. Heavy V. Heavy
*Estimated exposure only includes population within the map area.
Sendai Population Exposure population per ~1 sq. km from Landscan Structures:
Overall, the population in this region resides
Nanyo in structures that are resistant to earthquake
shaking, though some vulnerable structures
38˚ exist.
Fukushima Historical Earthquakes (with MMI levels):
Date Dist. Mag. Max Shaking
(UTC) (km) MMI(#) Deaths
Koriyama
2003-10-31 73 7.0 V(7,236k) 0
1980-09-23 388 5.3 V(12,718k) 1
1983-05-26 385 7.7 VII(174k) 104
Iwaki Recent earthquakes in this area have caused
secondary hazards such as tsunamis,
landslides, and fires that might have
contributed to losses.
Takahagi
km
0 Mito 50 100 Selected City Exposure
from GeoNames.org

MMI City Population

V Ishinomaki 117k
V Otsuchi 16k
140˚ 142˚ 144˚ V Kamaishi 43k
Map Version 4 Processed Wed Mar 9, 2011 05:27:14 PM MST -- NOT REVIEWED BY HUMAN V Hanamaki 73k
V Yamada 20k
PERCEIVED V Yamoto 32k
SHAKING Not felt Weak Light Moderate Strong Very strong Severe Violent Extreme V Sendai 1,038k
POTENTIAL none none none Very light Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy Very Heavy IV Morioka 295k
DAMAGE
IV Fukushima 294k
PEAK ACC.(%g) <.17 .17-1.4 1.4-3.9 3.9-9.2 9.2-18 18-34 34-65 65-124 >124 III Utsunomiya 450k
III Yamagata 255k
PEAK VEL.(cm/s) <0.1 0.1-1.1 1.1-3.4 3.4-8.1 8.1-16 16-31 31-60 60-116 >116 PAGER content is automatically generated, and only considers losses due to structural damage. bold cities appear on map (k = x1000)
INSTRUMENTAL Limitations of input data, shaking estimates, and loss models may add uncertainty.
INTENSITY I II-III IV V VI VII VIII IX X+ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/pager Event ID: usb0001r57
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake, 03/11/2011, Mw 9.0
USGS ShakeMap : NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Fri Mar 11, 2011 05:46:23 GMT M 9.0 N38.32 E142.37 Depth: 32.0km ID:c0001xgp M 9.0, NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Origin Time: Fri 2011-03-11 05:46:23 UTC (14:46:23 local) PAGER
odate o o
Location: 38.32 N 142.37 E Depth: 32 km Version 7
FOR TSUNAMI INFORMATION, SEE: tsunami.noaa.gov Created: 4 days, 9 hours after earthquake

40˚ Estimated Fatalities Red alert level for economic losses. Extensive
damage is probable and the disaster is likely
Estimated Economic Losses
Akita widespread. Estimated economic losses are
0-1% GDP of Japan. Past events with this alert
level have required a national or international
level response.
Kitakami
Orange alert level for shaking-related fatalities.
Significant casualties are likely.

Sakata
Estimated Population Exposed to Earthquake Shaking
ESTIMATED POPULATION - -* 6k* 2,483k* 15,269k* 10,864k* 36,088k* 6,781k* 66k 0
EXPOSURE (k = x1000)
Sendai ESTIMATED MODIFIED
MERCALLI INTENSITY

Niigata PERCEIVED SHAKING Not felt Weak Light Moderate Strong Very Strong Severe Violent Extreme
38˚ Resistant
Structures none none none V. Light Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy V. Heavy
POTENTIAL
DAMAGE Vulnerable
Structures none none none Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy V. Heavy V. Heavy
Suzu Koriyama *Estimated exposure only includes population within the map area.

Population Exposure population per ~1 sq. km from Landscan Structures:

Nanao Muika Iwaki Overall, the population in this region resides
in structures that are resistant to earthquake
shaking, though some vulnerable structures
exist. The predominant vulnerable building
anazawa Utsunomiya types are non-ductile reinforced concrete
frame and heavy wood frame construction.

Historical Earthquakes (with MMI levels):

Kumagaya
Date Dist. Mag. Max Shaking
36˚ Ina (UTC) (km) MMI(#)
1998-06-14 363 5.7 VII(428k)
Deaths
0
Tokyo 1994-12-28 263 7.7 VII(132k) 3
Mino
1983-05-26 369 7.7 VII(174k) 104
Yokosuka Recent earthquakes in this area have caused
Nagoya secondary hazards such as tsunamis,
km landslides, and fires that might have
contributed to losses.

Hamamatsu
0 75 150 Selected City Exposure
from GeoNames.org

MMI City Population

IX Iwanuma 42k
IX Rifu 35k
138˚ 140˚ 142˚ 144˚ IX Shiogama 60k
Map Version 6 Processed Tue Mar 15, 2011 08:39:58 AM MDT -- NOT REVIEWED BY HUMAN IX Hitachi 186k
VIII Takahagi 34k
PERCEIVED VIII Ishinomaki 117k
SHAKING Not felt Weak Light Moderate Strong Very strong Severe Violent Extreme VIII Sendai 1,038k
POTENTIAL none none none Very light Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy Very Heavy VIII Chiba 920k
DAMAGE
VII Yokohama 3,574k
PEAK ACC.(%g) <.17 .17-1.4 1.4-3.9 3.9-9.2 9.2-18 18-34 34-65 65-124 >124 VII Tokyo 8,337k
V Nagoya 2,191k
PEAK VEL.(cm/s) <0.1 0.1-1.1 1.1-3.4 3.4-8.1 8.1-16 16-31 31-60 60-116 >116 PAGER content is automatically generated, and only considers losses due to structural damage. bold cities appear on map (k = x1000)
INSTRUMENTAL Limitations of input data, shaking estimates, and loss models may add uncertainty.
INTENSITY I II-III IV V VI VII VIII IX X+ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/pager Event ID: usc0001xgp
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: ShakeMap Evolution
V1: O.T. +21 min M7.9 V2: O.T. +40 min M8.8 V3: O.T. +1 hr 9 min M8.9

(Led to PAGER RED Alert

42.9 minutes after origin)
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: ShakeMap Evolution
V6: OT +3 d 9 hr
•M9.0
•DYFI Data
•273 K-NET stations
•Finite fault from K-
NET (NIED) inversion

V4: O.T. +2 h 22 min

•M8.9
•DYFI data
•Finite fault inferred
from aftershocks V5: OT +2 d 11 hr
•M9.0
•DYFI Data
•12 K-NET stations
•Finite fault inferred
from aftershocks
Mainshock ShakeMap,
assumed fault
(rectangle), and
JMA Intensity Map
M 8.9, NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN PAGER
Origin Time: Fri 2011-03-11 05:46:23 UTC (14:46:23 local)
o o
Location: 38.32 N 142.37 E Depth: 24 km Version 5
FOR TSUNAMI INFORMATION, SEE: tsunami.noaa.gov Created: 2 hours, 44 minutes after earthquake

Estimated Fatalities Red alert level for economic losses. Extensive

damage is probable and the disaster is likely
Estimated Economic Losses
widespread. Estimated economic losses are less
than 1% of GDP of Japan. Past events with this
alert level have required a national or
international level response.

Orange alert level for shaking-related fatalities.

Significant casualties are likely.

Estimated Population Exposed to Earthquake Shaking

ESTIMATED POPULATION - -* - -* - -* 7,071k* 19,695k* 29,969k* 2,144k 0 0
EXPOSURE (k = x1000)
ESTIMATED MODIFIED
MERCALLI INTENSITY

PERCEIVED SHAKING Not felt Weak Light Moderate Strong Very Strong Severe Violent Extreme
Resistant none none none V. Light Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy V. Heavy
POTENTIAL Structures
DAMAGE Vulnerable
Structures none none none Light Moderate Moderate/Heavy Heavy V. Heavy V. Heavy
*Estimated exposure only includes population within the map area.

Population Exposure population per ~1 sq. km from Landscan Structures:

Overall, the population in this region resides
in structures that are resistant to earthquake
shaking, though some vulnerable structures
exist. The predominant vulnerable building
types are non-ductile reinforced concrete
frame and heavy wood frame construction.

Historical Earthquakes (with MMI levels):

Date Dist. Mag. Max Shaking

(UTC) (km) MMI(#) Deaths
1998-06-14 363 5.7 VII(428k) 0
1994-12-28 263 7.7 VII(132k) 3
1983-05-26 369 7.7 VII(174k) 104
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused
secondary hazards such as tsunamis,
landslides, and fires that might have
contributed to losses.

Selected City Exposure

from GeoNames.org

MMI City Population

VIII Omigawa 26k
VIII Oarai 19k
VIII Hasaki 39k
VIII Itako 26k
VIII Ofunato 35k
VIII Takahagi 34k
VII Sendai 1,038k
VII Chiba 920k
VII Tokyo 8,337k
VI Yokohama 3,574k
V Shizuoka 702k
PAGER content is automatically generated, and only considers losses due to structural damage. bold cities appear on map (k = x1000)
Limitations of input data, shaking estimates, and loss models may add uncertainty.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/pager Event ID: usc0001xgp
Shaking & Aftershocks
(as of March 13th)
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Shaking Duration in Tokyo,
Ground Acceleration
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Shaking Duration in Tokyo,
Ground Velocity


 Peak Ground Motion Acceleration (PGA) of the 11 March 2011 Tohoku M=9.0 earthquake

PGA(g)
K-Net KiK-Net KiK-Net 
stations (surface) (downhole 
100 m)
  


Send
Sendai 

11 March 2011
M=9.0 


Tokyo 





Strong-motion
stations

Maximum PGA of 2.7g was recorded at Miyagi Prefecture




  
 




Erol Kalkan & Volkan Sevilgen (USGS)

 


 March 17, 2011
 
 
 

 Peak Ground Motion Acceleration (PGA) of the 11 March 2011 Tohoku M=9.0 earthquake
Tokyo Metropolitan and its surroundings

Peak Ground
K-NET KiK-Net KiK-Net Acceleration (g)
(Surface) Downhole
(100 m)
Latitude(º)

Tokyo

50 Km

Longitude(º)
Population Density (Landscan) Strong motion stations

Maximum PGA of 0.16g was recorded at Tokyo Metropolitan

March 17, 2011

Erol Kalkan & Volkan Sevilgen (USGS)
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Aftershock (and Foreshock)
Sequence, 03/08/11 - 03/16/11
Slab Contours from Slab1.0, every 20 km
Mw 7.3 Foreshock
Mw 9.0 Mainshock






Mw 7.7 Aftershock
Mw 7.9 Aftershock


  03/09 03/11 03/13 03/15 03/17 03/19

Date (Month/Day)
Note that the magnitudes of the 2011/03/11 06:15 (Mw 7.9) and 2011/03/11 06:25 (Mw 7.7) aftershocks were
updated from earlier, lower estimates. Updates occurred on 03/16 and 03/18, respectively.
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Aftershock (and Foreshock)
Sequence, M:Time History

9.0

8.0
Magnitude (M)

7.0

6.0

5.0

03/09 03/11 03/13 03/15 03/17 03/19

Date (Month/Day)
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Tectonic Summary


The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku earthquake on March 11,
2011, which occurred near the northeast coast of 


Honshu, Japan, resulted from thrust faulting on or

near the subduction zone plate boundary between the  

Pacific and North America plates. At the latitude of 

this earthquake, the Pacific plate moves approximately
westwards with respect to the North America plate at  Eurasia Plate

a rate of 83 mm/yr, and begins its westward descent North America Plate

beneath Japan at the Japan Trench. 



The location, depth, and focal mechanism of the March 

11 earthquake are consistent with the event having 

occurred on the subduction zone plate boundary.





Modeling of the rupture of this earthquake (red 


shading, approx.) indicate that the fault moved
upwards of 30-40 m, and slipped over an area  
83 mm/yr
approximately 300 km long (along-strike) by 150 km 
wide (in the down-dip direction). The rupture zone is
roughly centered on the earthquake epicenter along- 

strike, while peak slips were up-dip of the hypocenter, 

Pacific Plate

towards the Japan Trench axis. The March 11 

earthquake was preceded by a series of large
foreshocks over the previous two days, beginning on 

March 9th with a M 7.2 event approximately 40 km 

Philippine Sea Plate

from the epicenter of the March 11 earthquake, and 

continuing with another three earthquakes greater
than M 6 on the same day. 


          
 
          
 1

 Japan Regional Seismicity, 1900-2007
USGS Poster/Open File Report 2010-1083-D

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OPEN-FILE REPORT 2010–1083-D

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 114° 116° 118° 120° 122° 124° 126° 128° 130° 132° 134° 136° 138° 140° 142° 144° 146° 148° 150° 152° Version 1.0
S

A
Seismicity of the Earth 1900–2007 1950 D 1963

K
IturupA N
1963

T
La Perouse Strai
t L 1978

c
Harbin

Japan and Vicinity IS

A
Kit ami - 200

i
1995
Yam a tu IL

v
300 Ban k 1978
R

IA

M
44°

C
1958 44°

e
Compiled by Susan Rhea, Arthur C. Tarr, Gavin Hayes, Antonio Villaseñor*, and Harley Benz U 1978

u
1978

sa
K

M
S

k
gh

s
*
1940
Institute of Earth Sciences, CSIC, Lluis Solé i Sabarîs s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain Kunish ir n

A
i
ou

B
U
1969 e

K
a

s.
I

n
Tr
TECTONIC SUMMARY 100 a

R
Z

k
Changchun m
Jilin bo MAP EXPLANATION

-
1973 1994
This map shows details of Japan and vicinity not visible in an earlier publication (Tarr and others, 2010). Ha

r
Hokkaido

ta
Japan and its island possessions lie across four major tectonic plates: Pacific plate; North America plate; A -1200 -1100 -1000 -900 -800 -700 -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 A' 60

L
Magnitude classes Nucleation points

Ta
Eurasia plate; and Philippine Sea plate. The Pacific plate is subducted into the mantle, beneath Hokkaido
and northern Honshu, along the eastern margin of the Okhotsk microplate, a proposed subdivision of the Sapporo
1993 I
North America plate (Bird, 2003). Farther south, the Pacific plate is subducted beneath volcanic islands 42° Vladivostok 1993 R 42°
4–5.9
Rupture zones
along the eastern margin of the Philippine Sea plate. This 2,200 km-long zone of subduction of the Bogorov U 6–6.4
2003
Pacific plate is responsible for the creation of the deep offshore Ogasawara and Japan trenches as well as 0
Ridge K 6.5–6.9 Active volcanoes
parallel chains of islands and volcanoes, typical of Circumpacific island arcs. Similarly, the Philippine 1952
7–7.4
Sea plate is itself subducting under the Eurasia plate along a zone, extending from Taiwan to southern
Honshu, that comprises the Ryukyu Islands and the Nansei-Shoto trench.
Shenyang Fushun
1973
i n 1968 7.5
Mean slab depth
s 60 km
-100 A Ch'ongjin a 7.6
Subduction zones at the Japanese island arcs are geologically complex and produce numerous B 100

e
earthquakes from multiple sources. Deformation of the overriding plates generates shallow crustal Anshan
n 1968 7.7 200

is
earthquakes, whereas slip at the interface of the plates generates interplate earthquakes that extend from
40°
a 300
p 40° 7.8

R
near the base of the trench to depths of 40 to 60 km. At greater depths, Japanese arc earthquakes occur 1994
within the subducting Pacific and Philippine Sea plates and can reach depths of nearly 700 km. Since -200 Beijing a Aomori
1901 400

400
J 1983 1931
7.9

n
1900, two great earthquakes occurred off Japan and three north of Hokkaido. They are the M8.4 1933 500
1976

T R E N C H

p a
Sanriku-oki earthquake (Kawakatsu and Seno, 1983), the M8.3 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake (Miyazaki k 1960
8.0 600

600
Tangshan Sinuiju
and others, 2004), M8.4 1958 Etorofu earthquake (Fukao and Furamoto, 1979), the M8.5 1963 Kuril n
NORTH Ba 1933 Plate boundaries

300
earthquake (Beck and Ruff, 1987), and the M8.3 1994 Shikotan earthquake (Kikuchi and Kanamori, Tianjin
e 8.1
Ris

J a
1995).
-300
KOREA to Subduction
a o
at

500
m A'

200
8.2
BO HA Korea Bay a
u m nk Honshu Transform

a
Dalian
Several relevant tectonic elements, plate boundaries and active volcanoes, provide a context for the a Ba
te

Y
I Depth of focus Divergent

Y
a-
seismicity presented on the main map. The plate boundaries (Bird, 2003) are known most accurately P'yongyang Wonsan o
at

la
along the axis of the trenches and are more diffuse or speculative in the Sea of Japan, China, and Russia. -400 38° 38° Others

it
m 0–69 km

P
Ya

K
The active volcanic arcs (Siebert and Simkin, 2002) follow the Izu, Volcano, and Ryukyu island chains 1915 70–299 km

an
and the main Japanese islands parallel to the Japan trench. 1964 1978 300–700 km

re
Sendai

DATA SOURCES Ya m a t o

Ko
-500
Kaesong
Basin
J A PA N

100
The earthquakes portrayed on the main map and the depth profiles are taken from two sources: (a) the PROFILE A 1938

N
Centennial earthquake catalog (Engdahl and Villaseñor, 2002) and annual supplements for the interval 1900- Jinan Inch`on

2007, where the magnitude floor is 5.5 globally, and (b) a catalog of earthquakes having high-quality depth Seoul
Dokdo Syun-Yo 1938 1938
-600

A
determinations for the period 1964-2002 and a magnitude range of 5.0≤M≤5.4 (Engdahl, personal comm. SOUTH (Admin by S. Korea) Rise e
2003) 36° KOREA i dg 36°

60
Tu s i m a

P
Qingdao R 1938
ki
Ch'ungju
The nucleation points of great earthquakes (M≥8.3) are designated with a label showing the year of Basin

u
O

A
occurrence. Their rupture areas are shown as pale yellow polygons. Major earthquakes (7.5≤M≤8.2) are Taejon
B
B -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 B'
YELLOW

h
labeled with the year of occurrence. Slab contours are from Hayes and Wald (2010). Dōgo
SEA

J
Dōzen

s
The Seismic Hazard and Relative Plate Motion panel displays the generalized seismic hazard of the region
Chonju Taegu
n Tokyo

H o
Kawasaki
(Giardini and others, 1999) and representative relative plate motion vectors using the NUVEL-1A model Yokohama 0
(DeMets, et.al., 1994.) Gifu 1923

60
Kwangju
Pusan Nagoya
1923 Cipa
34° 34°

0
Pre-instrumental seismicity was obtained from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center (2010) database Kyoto

10
1909 B'

I Z U
of significant earthquakes; locations are approximate, based on macro-seismic reports and field investigations. Ō-shima
Kobe -100
We selected for earthquakes with associated reports of moderate to major damage, deaths, an estimated Osaka
magnitude of 7.5 or greater, or tsunami generation. ShimonoTsushima Hiroshima
Nii-shi ma 1953
Shima Kōzu-shima Miyaki-shim a
it 1906

S i t
CHIN
Base map data sources include GEBCO 2008, Volcanoes of the World dataset (Siebert and Simkin, 2002), Mikura-shima
ra
Shimonoseki

A
plate boundaries (Bird, 2003), Digital Chart of the World, and ESRI (2002). 1944
St
Kita Matsuyama -200
Kyushu ku e 1972
iko

s
i t o
a Fukuoka

ot
Cheju-do re g
Sh

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oR P l a t

a
Tarr, A.C., Villaseñor, Antonio, Furlong, K.P., Rhea, Susan, and Benz, H.M, 2010, Seismicity of the
a Okinaw w a r a
y

e a Koh

a
Earth 1900–2007: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3064, 1604 200 g
k

Magnitude w Kita-Daito Basin

C h
u
id C'
.
u

s
scale 1:25,000,000. Naha -400
a y
T

0 - 7.9 R

i n
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Ka za n
TA I WA O100 Sh Kita-io-jim a
Taipei
1910 1938 o
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1959 e i o Jima- S d g e

60
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24° 60 an Te rrace Iwo-jima 24°
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SEISMIC HAZARD AND RELATIVE PLATE MOTION m a - re i

lc
an
FIGURE EXPLANATION D
1915
E

oI
115° 120° 125° 130° 135° 140° 145°
1951 a
S i t

sl a
45° T'ainan
Peak ground acceleration 45° ds
o
N

10
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N A

0
0–0.2 m/s² R
RUSSIA Kaoshsiung

20
0.2–0.4 CHINA i s

0
1972 e
0.4–0.8 Mangetsu
83
22° Basin 2000 22°
1998
P H I L I P P I N E
0.8–1.6

S E A
40° 30 1914
1.6–3.2 NORTH 40° 0 2007
3.2–6.4 KOREA OKHOTSK
6.4–9.8 PLATE
i Daikoku

)
SOUTH .
120° 122° 124° 126° 128° 130° 132° 134° 136° 138° 140° 142° 144° DEPTH
146° PROFILE EXPLANATION
Relative plate motion KOREA JAPAN 90
35°
Magnitude classes Depth of focus Distance (km)
11.0–19.9 Albers Equal Area Conic Projection
39 35°
X
C -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 C' Albers Equal Area Conic Projection 4–5.9 0–69 km Profiles of earthquake and volcano 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 X'
Any use of trade names is for descriptive purposes only 20.0–39.9 PACIFIC Digital map database and cartography by Susan Rhea and Arthur Tarr 70–299 km locations are constructed from the
and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 47 56
SCALE 1:6 000 000 6–6.4
TRENCH AXIS
40.0–59.9 EURASIA (AMUR) PLATE Manuscript approved for publication July 28, 2010 6.5–6.9 300–700 km mapped data. Locations of the profile
Although this information product, for the most part, is in
0 100 200 400 600 800 0
PLATE 0 Kilometers 7–7.4
intersection with the surface are drawn
the public domain, it also contains copyrighted materials
as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted 51 53 Nucleation points in the map and labeled to coincide with -100
60.0–79.9 30° 7.5
items for other than personal use must be secured from 30° the profile label. Box defines extent of
the copyright owner. 7.6 Active volcanoes earthquakes included in profile. Length -200
49

Depth (km)
This map was produced on request, directly from 7.7 of the profile graphic is the same as in
80.0–100.0 57 -100 Earth structure
digital files, on an electronic plotter. PHILIPPINE SEA 7.8 the map. Distance in kilometers from the -300
Air trench axis is indicated in the X
For sale by U.S. Geological Survey Information Services PLATE 45
Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225 Plate boundaries 70 63 7.9 Crust direction, depth in kilometers is -400
1-888-ASK-USGS 25°
25° Upper mantle indicated in the Y direction. There is no
Subduction 67 8.0 -500
-200 vertical exaggeration. See Explanation
A PDF for this map is available at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1083/d/
Transform Transition zone PROFILE X
at side for color key. Not all earth layers,
Divergent PROFILE C 8.1 Lower mantle -600
Suggested citation: earthquake depths or magnitudes, are
Rhea, Susan, Tarr, A.C., Hayes, Gavin, Villaseñor,
Others visible on every map.
8.2 -700
Antonio, and Benz, H.M., 2010, Seismicity of the earth -300
1900–2007, Japan and vicinity: U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report 2010–1083-D, scale 1:6,000,000. 120° 125° 130° 135° 140° 145° -800
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Summary Poster
USGS V1 - 4.5 hrs after OT
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Summary Poster
USGS Current Version
Web Traffic Statistics

Average – 400,000 visits/day & 1.5 million page views/day

Peak – 900,000 visits/day & 2.5 million page views/day

Tohoku
Christchurch (M9.0) JP
(M6.1) NZ
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Source
Region Slab Geometry

NEIC Epicenter
TRENCH
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
0

20
Depth (km)

40 Slab1.0
Cross-section through hypocenter

60 Gold CMTs used to constrain slab geomety,

with active seismic data (maroon diamonds) and deep seismicity (not shown)
Grey circles & CMTs are background seismicity
80
0
Dip (º)

20 Slab1.0
Red dashed line represents dip of slab. Grey circles
are dips of mechanisms used to constrain geometry
40
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
Distance Perpendicular to Average CMT Strike (km)
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Source
Region Slab Geometry

NEIC Epicenter
TRENCH
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
0

20
Depth (km)

40 Slab1.0
Cross-section through hypocenter

60 Gold CMTs used to constrain slab geomety,

with active seismic data (maroon diamonds) and deep seismicity (not shown)
Grey circles & CMTs are background seismicity
80
0
Dip (º)

20 Slab1.0
Red dashed line represents dip of slab. Grey circles
are dips of mechanisms used to constrain geometry
40
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
Distance Perpendicular to Average CMT Strike (km)
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Moment Tensor Solutions
(Faulting Mechanisms)

USGS Research Centroid global Centroid Moment

Moment Tensor Tensor V1
Mw 8.9 Mw 9.1
Distributed ~34 minutes Released 7 hrs after OT
after OT
(Jascha Polet, Cal Poly Pomona)

USGS W-Phase V1 global Centroid Moment

Mw 8.9 Tensor V2
Released 1 hr after OT Mw 9.1
Released ~ 3 days after OT

USGS W-Phase V2 Earthquake Research

Mw 9.0 Institute, Japan, CMT V1
Released 6 hrs after OT Mw 9.0
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Source
Region Slab Geometry

NEIC Epicenter
TRENCH
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
0

20
Depth (km)

40 Slab1.0
Cross-section through hypocenter

60 Gold CMTs used to constrain slab geomety,

with active seismic data (maroon diamonds) and deep seismicity (not shown)
Grey circles & CMTs are background seismicity
80
0
Dip (º)

20 Slab1.0
Red dashed line represents dip of slab. Grey circles
are dips of mechanisms used to constrain geometry
40
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
Distance Perpendicular to Average CMT Strike (km)
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Moment Tensor Analysis
Dip/Depth Sensitivity

NEIC Epicenter
TRENCH
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
0 Mww 9.04
Mww 8.99
PREM interface Mww 9.03
20 Mww 9.02
PREM interface Mww 9.07 Mww 9.07
Depth (km)

Mww 9.10
40

60 W-Phase Results
Fixed centroid locations, vary hypocenter to match slab geometry

80
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Moment Tensor Analysis
Dip/Depth Sensitivity

NEIC Epicenter
TRENCH
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
0
gCMT, V1
PREM interface Mww 9.03 (Mw 9.12)
20 PREM interface
Depth (km)

gCMT, V2
(Mw 9.08)

40

60 W-Phase vs gCMT

WP at the gCMT centroid recovers Mww 9.03 (not shown)

80
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Moment Tensor Analysis
Dip/Depth Sensitivity

NEIC Epicenter
TRENCH
240 200 160 120 80 40 0 -40
0

PREM interface
-20 PREM interface
Depth (km)

-40 3. Mww 9.07

2. Mww 9.08
W-Phase
-60 1. Mww 8.99
Start at PDE location
Reiterate (1-3) with new centroid location until MT no longer shifts
Update depths using Slab1.0 at each iteration
-80
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Finite Fault Model
USGS V1 - 7 hrs after OT 

Compact rupture, mostly 

bilateral about epicenter, peak
slip up dip of hypocenter.

Rupture was likely restricted




to the shallow trench, and GPS

vectors suggest slip did not
reach the plate boundary 


beneath the coastline.

Peak slips closer to 30+ m,  

inferred from updated

modeling.


Slip (cm)
1800
1600
 1400
1200
1000
800
 600
50 km Dept
h
40 km
30 km
400
20 km
10 km 200
0


  
 
      14 6
Finite Fault Model USGS V1 -
Comparison with locking
estimates (Hashimoto et al. ,
2009, Nat. Geo.)
 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Population Exposure &
Shaking Intensities vs Slab Geometry & Slip Extent
Population (per sq. km), summed along strike
of USGS slip model V1 (240 km, sampled Extent of major slip
every 10 km) (USGS FFM V1)
1
Note that slip during

(as fraction of
FFM Slip

max slip)
the earthquake likely
did not extend to the
depths of the plate
0 boundary directly
Instrumental Intensity (USGS Shakemap) under the Japan
II IV VI VIII X coastline as shown
here, because GPS data

(as fraction of
1

FFM Slip

max slip)
indicate that the
coastline moved down
0 coseismically.
0

40
e
Plan
80 FFM
Depth (km)

120

160

200

240

280
560 480 400 320 240 160 80 0 -40
Distance Perpendicular to Average CMT Strike (km)
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Finite Fault Model
USGS V2 - 2011/03/18 

Updated modeling shows peak 

slips of 30+ m, depending on
the parameterization of
rupture velocity. This updated
model shows peak slip of ~32



m, using a range of rupture

velocity from 1.25 - 3 km/s.



Models with constant rupture

velocity show slips of 40-50 m,
all at shallow depths. This may  

imply that the up-dip nature of

rupture is well resolved, but
peak slips are not. 

Slip (cm)

‘Low’ slip regions near the 3200

3000

fault edges, and fault base, are  2800

2600
2400
also poorly resolved.
50 km
Dept 2200
40 km h
30 km 2000
20 km 1800
10 km 1600
1400
 1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0


  
 
      1
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Finite Fault Model
U. California, Santa Barbara

Version 1 Version 2 Version 3

NEIC Hypocenter JMA Hypocenter Body & Surface Waves
(50 km ESE) realigned using the
03/09/2011 Mw 7.3
foreshock.

Figures courtesy of Guangfu Shao, U. California, Santa Barbara

Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: GPS Displacements
Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

)* 

  ! 
&02011/03/01 21:00 - 2011/03/09 21:00 '2011/03/01 21:00 - 2011/03/09 21:00
#&02011/03/11 18:00 - 2011/03/13 03:00 '2011/03/11 18:00 - 2011/03/13 03:00
km km
0 50 0 50
41° 41°

40° 40°

39° 39°



 

"   


 








 



2011/3/11 M9.0
38° 38°

2011/3/11 M9.0






 

37° 37°

36° 36°

50cm 10cm
138° 139° 140° 141° 142° 143° 138° 139° 140° 141° 142° 143°

302,%!#01,$%!4
0()/-+,..* *')#'(#+
' &$"#%%!

 ' 
Tohoku, Japan Earthquake: Other Groups

Many groups have published (online) slip models for this earthquake; below is a list
of some of these (note this is not complete):

Geospatial Information Authority, Japan (using regional GPS data):

http://www.gsi.go.jp/cais/topic110315-index-e.html

Charles Ammon, Penn State; Thorne Lay, UCSC; Hiroo Kanamori, Caltech:
http://eqseis.geosc.psu.edu/~cammon/Japan2011EQ/

Caltech Tectonics Observatory:

http://tectonics.caltech.edu/slip_history/

Yuji Yagi, Naoki Nishimura, University of Tsukuba:

http://www.geol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~yagi-y/EQ/Tohoku/

For a more comprehensive list of models, and results from other analyses, see the
special IRIS website:
http://www.iris.edu/news/events/japan2011/
A History Of Large Earthquakes

Data: USGS PAGERCAT 1900-2008, USGS-NEIC & gCMT 2008-present

Figure courtesy of Charles Ammon, after Ammon et al., SRL, 2010