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Updated: Jul 27, 2025

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Published on: August 5, 2016
Complex tsunamigenic near-trench seafloor deformation during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake
Kai Zhang1,2,3, Yanru Wang1, Yu Luo1
1College of Geodesy and Geomatics, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
Abstract:
The near-trench coseismic rupture behaviour of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake remains poorly understood due to the scarcity of near-field observations. Differential bathymetry offers a unique approach to studying offshore coseismic seafloor deformation but has a limited horizontal resolution. Here we use differential bathymetry estimates with improved horizontal resolutions to investigate near-trench coseismic slip behaviours in the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. In the main rupture region, a velocity-strengthening behaviour in the shallow fault is observed. By contrast, the seafloor uplift decreases towards the trench, but the trend inverts near the backstop interface outcrop, revealing significant off-fault deformation features. Amongst various competing off-fault effects observed, we suggest that inelastic deformation plays a predominant role in near-trench tsunami excitation. Large trench-bleaching rupture is also observed immediately north of 39°, delimiting the northern extent of the main rupture region. Overall, striking spatial heterogeneity of the shallow rupture behaviour is revealed for the region.
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