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Earthquake slip surfaces identified by biomarker thermal maturity within the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake fault zone

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  • Hannah S. Rabinowitz

    (AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy)

  • Heather M. Savage

    (University of California, Santa Cruz)

  • Pratigya J. Polissar

    (University of California, Santa Cruz)

  • Christie D. Rowe

    (McGill University)

  • James D. Kirkpatrick

    (McGill University)

Abstract

Extreme slip at shallow depths on subduction zone faults is a primary contributor to tsunami generation by earthquakes. Improving earthquake and tsunami risk assessment requires understanding the material and structural conditions that favor earthquake propagation to the trench. We use new biomarker thermal maturity indicators to identify seismic faults in drill core recovered from the Japan Trench subduction zone, which hosted 50 m of shallow slip during the Mw9.1 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. Our results show that multiple faults have hosted earthquakes with displacement ≥ 10 m, and each could have hosted many great earthquakes, illustrating an extensive history of great earthquake seismicity that caused large shallow slip. We find that lithologic contrasts in frictional properties do not necessarily determine the likelihood of large shallow slip or seismic hazard.

Suggested Citation

  • Hannah S. Rabinowitz & Heather M. Savage & Pratigya J. Polissar & Christie D. Rowe & James D. Kirkpatrick, 2020. "Earthquake slip surfaces identified by biomarker thermal maturity within the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake fault zone," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-14447-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14447-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Kai Zhang & Yanru Wang & Yu Luo & Dineng Zhao & Mingwei Wang & Fanlin Yang & Ziyin Wu, 2023. "Complex tsunamigenic near-trench seafloor deformation during the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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