Great Japan earthquake of March 11, 2011: Tectonic and seismological aspects

The tectonic and seismological aspects of the Great Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011 ( M w = 9.0), at the Pacific margin of the northeastern part of Honshu Island, are discussed. The structure and seismotectonic data, seismicity, and the reccurence rate of the great ( M ≥ 7.6) earthquakes throughout history and in modern times are represented. It is shown that the reccurence rate of the great events is about 40 years, and that of megaearthquakes is 1000 years or more. A seismic gap of about 800 km in length is found in the region under study, located to the south of latitude 39° N and full of aftershocks to the megaearthquake of March 11, 2011. This event is probably connected with the deep thrust along the Benioff zone and its structural front (Oyashio nappe at the middle Pacific continental slope). The aftershock sequences of this megaearthquake and the Sumatra-Andaman (2004) megaearthquake are compared. It is found that several of their key characteristics (the number of aftershocks, the magnitude of the strongest aftershock, and the time of its occurrence) for 25 days are comparable for both cases with a significant difference in the energies of aftershock processes. A probable scenario for the origination of a repeated shock with M ∼ 8.0 in the Japan Trench is discussed.