Preceding, coseismic, and postseismic slips of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, Japan

We estimated the spatial and temporal evolution of the preceding aseismic slip from January 2003 to January 2011, the coseismic slip of the Tohoku earthquake, and the postseismic slip after the earthquake based on global positioning system (GPS) data. Time‐dependent analysis indicates aseismic slip offshore of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures from 2004 associated with a series of subduction earthquakes that overlap the aseismic slip area. These preceding aseismic and coseismic slip areas are centered between the centers of the coseismic and afterslip areas of the Tohoku earthquake offshore of Miyagi prefecture, while they overlap the coseismic and afterslip areas of the Tohoku earthquake off Fukushima prefecture. The timing of moment magnitude nine (Mw9) ‐class earthquakes appears to be controlled by multiple preceding slip events, smaller earthquakes and their afterslip. The preceding aseismic and coseismic slip decreased the coupling rate off the Tohoku coast, suggesting the possibility that the preceding slip represented a precursive stage of the Tohoku earthquake. The afterslip of the Tohoku earthquake occurred in an area where the coseismic slip was not large, complementing the large coseismic slip zone. The afterslip along Iwate‐Miyagi extends up to 80 km in depth and is currently the sole mechanism of strain release in this depth range. The source region of the anticipated Miyagi‐Oki earthquake shows small postseismic slip after the Tohoku earthquake, reflecting the energy release at the time of the earthquake. Aftershock activity is roughly governed by an afterslip process. Key Points Preceding slip occurred in a down‐dip area of the Tohoku earthquake Huge energy was accumulated near the Japan trench Afterslip is occurring in an area complementing the cosesimic rupture zone