Background and Scope - Tohoku, Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 - page 21

Figure 9, panels (a) and (b), show data from GEONET reduced by NASA /JPL. The
panels indicate generally eastward and down (subsidence) motion, with a maximum
5.2-meter land displacement to the east-southeast in the northern part of Miyagi
prefecture. This part of the coastline subsided up to 1.1 meters. Although some post-
seismic rebound generally occurs after a large event, the subsidence of the coastline
increases the potential for damage from a tsunami and may contribute to storm
damage subsequent to the earthquake because of the loss of freeboard at coastal
structures.
Figure 9. Great East Japan earthquake terrestrial and seafloor displacements
measured with GPS (Sources: NASA/JPL 2011; Sato 2011; reprinted with
permissionfromAAAS)