Co-seismic deformation of 2011 Mw9. 0 Japan earthquake observed by InSAR technique

Abstract

Co-seismic line-of-sight displacements of the 2011 Mw9. 0 Japan earthquake derived from InSAR data of Envisat ASAR, ALOS PALSAR and TerraSAR-X show a maximum value of about –245 cm to –221cm near the epicenter. This result is in good agreement with the result of GPS measurement. The observed displacement pattern suggests an earthquake-rupture zone over 500km long, with a ground-motion pattern in the vicinity of the northern segment more complex than that of the southern segment, possibly due to immediate aftershocks that occurred between satellite passes.

Keywords

• Mw9.0 Tohoku earthquake
• InSAR
• surface displacement