Structure and Composition of the Plate-Boundary Slip Zone for the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake
Abstract
The mechanics of great subduction earthquakes are influenced by the frictional properties, structure, andcomposition of the plate-boundary fault. We present observations of the structure and composition of theshallow source fault of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami from boreholes drilled by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 343 and 343T. Logging-while-drilling and core-sample observations show a single major plate-boundary fault accommodated the large slip of the Tohoku-Oki earthquake rupture, as well as nearly all the cumulative interplate motion at the drill site. The localization of deformation onto a limited thickness (less than 5 meters) of pelagic clay is the defining characteristic of the shallow earthquake fault, suggesting that the pelagic clay may be a regionally important control on tsunamigenic earthquakes.
Department
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
Publication Date
12-2013
Volume
342, Number 6163
Journal Title
Science
Pages
1208–1211
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1126/science.1243719
Document Type
Journal Article
Recommended Citation
F. M. Chester et al., "Structure and composition of the plate-boundary slip zone for the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake," Science, vol. 342, no. 6163, pp. 1208–1211, Dec. 2013.