Tsunami simulation of the Tohoku earthquake, Japan, of March 11, 2011 - Updated

Tsunami simulation of the Tohoku earthquake, Japan, of March 11, 2011 - updated

The source of the earthquake is based on the updated finite fault model of the Tectonics Observatory, Caltech, which combines GPS and teleseismic data (http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu/slip.... The tsunami is solved under the non-linear shallow water approximation, using a finite-difference code.

In open ocean, even for such a large tsunami, the amplitude or height of the wave rarely exceeds a couple of meters (6 feet). However, as the tsunami approaches the shore, the shallow water causes the wave to slow down and its height gets amplified. This tsunami reached a height of 13 m (43 feet).

Red represents water that is above sea level, blue below. Time after the earthquake is given in hours in the upper right-hand corner.

Credit: Anthony Sladen, Tectonics Observatory and Geoazur, France